


In Spades

by skyshined



Series: Night Fall [2]
Category: Chronicles of Riddick Series, Dark Fury
Genre: Explicit Language, F/M, On the Run, Sexual Content, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-04-16
Updated: 2012-11-12
Packaged: 2017-11-08 15:52:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Underage
Chapters: 11
Words: 55,208
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/444859
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/skyshined/pseuds/skyshined





	1. Stuck

_“Unidentified craft, state your purpose and contents.”_

It had seemed way too good to be real. Picked up a not a day after they took off…

_“Hey, Name’s Johns, the ship I was on crashed, the only other survivors are on board with me.”_

Riddick had watched as Johns glanced over why he was on the ship, and just who one of the survivors was. He was keeping up his end, only…

_“William Johns, we’re sorry for your dilemma, we’ll send out a bigger burst for you, someone should be along shortly.”_

That had been three fucking days ago!

“Fucking mercs…” Riddick grumbled as Jack crawled back onto his lap. She was bored again, she straddled his legs so they could be facing each other, and in her hands she held three colorful balls.

“What the hell did I do to you now?” Johns asked as he fingered a small vile of morphine before putting it back in the case he had sitting in the copilots’ seat. He was preserving what pain killers he had, and he was taking it easy on the booze too.

“Present company excluded,” Riddick said idly as Jack started to juggle two of them with one hand.

“For now,” Jack chirped looking Johns over her shoulder with a grin not stopping. At first Jack had been quiet unsure how to act now that she wasn’t pretending to be a boy. She’d been scared, but when nothing bad happened to her she seemed to settle into herself. Jack could do a number of tricks, the kind street kids did on corners for local world coin, which suggested she’d had to work for her meals on more than one occasion.

They’d all been ignoring Imam’s praying since after their almost rescue, and it just made Riddick and Johns closer to Jack, and all of them further from the holy man. It was just background noise now. Johns seemed to be taking Jack’s little banter, even joined in now and then. Riddick enjoyed Jack’s willingness to crawl all over him, it distracted him from the fact he wanted to put his fist through Imam’s face. Hell he was starting to feel close to the merc, made him realize that if they’d been on the same side of the fence Johns could have been someone he did business with, and had a few drinks in-between maybe.

“Right the fuckers who left us here,” Johns breathed checking the dash again, but there was nothing new there.

Jack started tossing up the other ball, before she started juggling all of them together. Riddick watched her for a bit before snatching one of them out of the air and chucking it at Imam. It made Jack huff even as it got Imam in the side of the head, but Johns even made a displeased noise as Imam snatched up the ball stuck it in a pocket before returning to his prayers. “Riddick…” Jack whined pouting at him.

“The kid’s the only entertainment we got Riddick,” Johns sighed watching them. He had to admit if only he, Riddick, and Imam lived they’d either all be insane or Riddick would have killed them. Jack wasn’t only entertainment she was probably the only reason the remaining survivors were still surviving.

“We could play poker again,” Jack sighed as she got back off of Riddick and put the remaining balls back in her bag before settling in the seat next to Riddick.

“No thank you,” Johns muttered turning to look back out the view port at the stars. They’d played for the better part of a day yesterday, and all they’d learned was that they were all bloody cheaters even if they weren’t playing for anything but to pass the time. Both Riddick and Jack were good at sleight of hand, Johns and Riddick could stack a deck like pros, and as it was Jack’s deck they both suspected she’d memorized the back of the cards, because while all fifty-two where there a lot of them were from different decks. Riddick had won over all according to the tally they were keeping on wins, but all that proved was that he was a better cheater than the other two.

“Three Card Monte?” Jack asked even as the ship powered down even further into its simulation of a night cycle meaning the lights dimmed even further and could started to seep in a little more. There were blankets still out and piled on a seat, though the ones Riddick and Jack had been using were under the seat Riddick was on, but no one moved for them yet.

“Do any of those cards come from the same deck?” Johns asked as he reclined the seat he was in back.

“Some,” Jack grinned Riddick pulled her against his side, probably to keep her warm for longer.

When the praying finally stopped they all looked in Imam’s direction only for Jack to lean further into Riddick as Imam asked, “Do you really intend to keep her as some kind of prize?”

They all remembered that little argument that woke Jack up in the first hours they were on the skiff.

_“So the kid owes you her life, agreed to it and everything?” Johns asked as Riddick handed back the bottle of amber liquid._

_“She didn’t want me to sell her out, then she kept needing saving and help,” Riddick said keeping his voice low, avoiding shrugging with Jack still tucked under his arm._

_“She’s just a child!” Imam said suddenly as he stood up glaring at the two men talking about the young girl as if she was a commodity. “You’re talking about her life as if there’s nothing you can do but accept payment from a child for needing help!”_

_Jack grumbled against his side, trying to press closer away from the noise. “She’s going to keep needin’ help holy man,” Riddick growled threateningly wrapping his arm around Jack his hand cupping the side of her head in a possessive and protective gesture._

_“I hate to side with Riddick, but he’s got a point, she’s a runaway, a street kid, Riddick’s probably the best she could learn from,” Johns said with a shrug taking another shot of liquor. Johns had come from a working class family; he’d had a shot at whatever he wanted granted he worked hard enough for it. He’d been the kind of kid that straddled having enough and being one parent losing their job from being on the street. He’d known kids like Jack when he was around that age, most just kept running for the rest of their life. Orphans, grounded for a while before they took off again probably only to be snatched up by someone else on their travels, government or slaver both were really just looking for pawns, and then there were abused kids that had a house only for food and shelter with parents that didn’t care. Last there were the ones like Riddick that got locked up. For Jack she was probably best off running with Riddick. A lot of runaway girls just ended up being slaved out if they didn’t hook up with someone stronger or a group. “He’ll keep her alive as long as he wants her, and if she’s lucky she’ll learn something and keep living if he decides he’s ever had his fill.”_

_“How can you say such things?!” Imam asked in outrage. “You were taking him to jail, but now you’re letting him keep a child!”_

_Riddick frowned as Jack whimpered gripping him closer. He just barely kept himself in check when Imam said, “She could be anything she wanted, but you’re both just going to throw her away!” Jack shuddered a whimper leaving her as she choked back a sob._

_“I’m not going to throw her away like a piece of scrap,” Riddick growled as he moved to stand, only Jack kept a hold of him stopping him from getting up. Stopped from his pursuit of putting Imam in his place Riddick pulled Jack up onto his lap holding her shuddering form insisting, “She’s mine.”_

_“Don’t be foolish enough to dispute it,” Johns said shaking his head as he stretched a little in his seat. “He’ll just shiv you.”_

“Well do you?” Imam asked as Jack moved away from Riddick’s side, for probably the first time, to move over to the copilots chair, which Johns cleared off for her.

“You know what I want to know?” Riddick asked as he stood up looking the robed man in the eye, “I wanna know what you suggest we do with her. I want to know what bright idea you have for the kid’s future. She ain’t never going to be normal holy man, she’s seen too much, been through too much, and not just on that shithole of a planet. The government would stick her in a group home, train her for some job she’s not going to want. She’d probably end up in the military, fighting wars she don’t believe in, or have any say in. The kinds of places they stick the disposable, the kind that have no family to go home too. You want that for her?” When Imam seemed stuck Riddick continued backing him towards the other half of the skiff saying darkly, “Or you wanna take her in? Try and make her civilized? Watch her run away and then do nothing because she was disrupting your pretty family life, because I doubt you’re gonna be lingering around your church too much longer. You’ll pray and pray, but it won’t make your brats any less dead.”

Jack pulled her feet up to her chest on the chair as her and Johns watched it all play out. Imam opened his mouth to speak but closed it and promptly sat down as Riddick’s shiv made it out in the open. The holy man had guts though because he ended up asking, “What are you going to do for her? Teach her how to be a killer?”

“Teach her how to fight, kill, whatever it takes for her to stay alive,” Riddick said with a shrug.

“Does she really want to go with you? Maybe she would like a normal life if one was offered to her,” Imam said looking around Riddick to where Jack was sitting. “On New Mecca I could make sure she got a chance to be whatever she wanted.”

Riddick glared at Imam before turning a bit to look back at Jack. She was still curled up in the seat just watching him. “You wanna go to New Mecca with the holy man kid?”

“And play pretend?” Jack sneered, her answer obvious to all with the amount of venom in her tone. It wasn’t enough of a statement for her though because she added, “I rather go back to that shithole planet then be grounded in New Mecca.” Then she looked right at Imam saying, “I want to go with Riddick, if I didn’t do you really think I’d really touch him so much?”

Motioning to Jack in a there-you-have-it way Riddick said, “Now, you bring it up again and I swear this is going in your eye.” He waved the shiv at him a bit before he moved back to his seat waving Jack back to him after he put the knife away. She was in his arms in a heartbeat, sitting sideways, leaning into him while Imam went back to praying and Johns snagged a blanket and settled in to sleep. They both waited patiently for Imam to shut up and grab a blanket stretching out before Jack grabbed theirs from under Riddick’s seat. Johns somehow always managed to fall asleep no matter who was making noise, or he just laid there ignoring them with his eyes closed, but Jack and Riddick had to wait for the others to shut up.

Jack handed Riddick his which he wrapped around his shoulders and back as Jack wrapped up in hers, once she clambered back onto his lap he wrapped his arms and the two ends of his blanket around her. This arrangement came around after the first time they all really went to sleep. Jack had woken up out of a nightmare and screamed bloody murder. Riddick had been awake and alert on the spot looking to see which of the men he was murdering for touching the kid, but Jack was already apologizing breathlessly and telling mostly herself that she was okay. Now they just skipped a step and he held her while they slept. Imam disapproved, Johns didn’t care, and Jack had taken to the idea like a bird to the sky. Riddick slumped down a bit to relax in the chair bracing his legs apart a bit as his head rested onto of Jacks baby soft hair. She’d ditched her hat in her bag, didn’t need it to cover up her face anymore.

“You think we’re going to get out of here soon?” Jack asked softly as she watched Johns shift around in the reclined front seat. Imam probably wasn’t asleep, but his back was too them and he took to ignoring them when he laid down for the night.

“Don’t think about it Jack, it won’t make anyone come faster,” Riddick mumbled to the kid. “Just keep your mind occupied and when you can’t do that sleep.”

“Sleeping preserves air…” Jack breathed back, “And if I’m not doing something interesting I might as well be asleep?” She and Riddick had this conversation before. She’d been bugging the hell out of him and tired but refusing to sleep.

“Exactly,” Riddick told her. He also told her that even if she fell asleep she wasn’t going to somehow miss out on getting rescued, he’d wake her.

“Remind me why we can’t fly this thing somewhere?” Jack asked, one of her hands grabbing onto the front of his black tank.

“This thing isn’t made for it kid, It’d drain too fast, we’d die before we reached habituated space,” Riddick explained again. He wasn’t going to plot a course to a planet they wouldn’t make it to. Sitting around waiting to die wasn’t his style, but little life boats like this just didn’t make it in space. They weren’t made to fly more than short range. Maybe if they were right on top of a planet with other people on it he could force it, but then their little romp around hell probably wouldn’t have happened. Odds were if one government or another took an interest later down the road they’d terraform some industrial colonies, mine whatever was available, or set up a slam, maybe some penal colonies and slums. With dangers like that on a moon who knew what was on the nearby planets.

No, they couldn’t go anywhere, but Riddick had it planned out. He knew almost exactly how long they’d have until they started to run out of air which would be around when he’d be willing to sit around with dead bodies stinking up the cabin. When they came to twenty-four hours of air Riddick would shut down everything but the life support and buy them at least another day. Giving them two days of air. He could kill the holy man twenty-four hours later and buy them a little more time, then Johns towards the end of the next twenty-four hours, if no one came, to buy him and the kid a little more... He’d have to keep an eye on the gauge to see if killing one person would have a significant effect maybe adjust the timing for killing Johns. For the kid, he’d give her the choice when it came down to the final half hour or so. He could kill her if she was afraid to die slow, or they could die together because by that time as long as she wasn’t panicking he’d be breathing more air then her simply because his lungs were bigger, it wouldn’t matter. Riddick hoped it didn’t come to that. He would have saved her just to watch her suffocate. That wouldn’t be for at least a month though…

“Can you not think about killing me?” Jack asked just barely awake.

“How’d you know?” Riddick asked not bothering to lift his head. His head laying on hers didn’t allow her to read his mind so he saw no reason to try and find another comfortable spot.

“You thought about it yesterday night too, you held me tighter… are holding me tighter,” Jack mumbled with a yawn. “Do I get a choice?”

“Yeah kid, _you_ get a choice,” Riddick told her making it clear that if it came down to it the others wouldn’t get the same consideration. He was doing more for the kid then he would for pretty much any other living thing in the verse.

“I don’t have to eat anyone do I?” Jack asked nuzzling closer.

“The air isn’t going to last _that_ much longer than the food kiddo,” Riddick chuckled repositioning his cheek on her head. If food was the case instead of air though… no not even then unless they were somewhere air was abundant. Fire to cook the bodies would eat up the air in the cabin.

Jack frowned for a moment something nagging her away from sleep. She knew she wouldn’t be able to sleep until she said it so she told him quietly, “I’d rather die together…” Then after a second asked, “Is that childish?”

Riddick thought about it. He was giving her the choice not because he wanted someone to die with, but because he liked the kid to let her decide how she wanted to die when death was inevitable. That had nothing to do with age though. It probably had to do with something he wasn’t in touch with very much anymore, “Nah, Jack, it’s human.”


	2. Nothing but Time

If anyone had been listening last night when Riddick and Jack been talking no one said a word. Things were only tense between Riddick and Imam which wasn’t new considering Imam was _still_ praying. Johns and Jack sat on the floor in the middle of the cabin playing a lazy game of poker, where they occasionally looked at each other’s cards, and swapped out cards more than they were supposed to. Again, it wasn’t like money meant anything in the skiff so they weren’t actually betting. Riddick was pawing through Jack’s bag, but hadn’t come up with anything overly interesting. She had some extra shirts, her hat, the two remaining balls she used to juggle, and a bottle of Paris’ wine that she’d promised to share with him back in the cargo bay. The only oddity was that there was for some reason a ton of string and twine at the bottom and a bag of beads which he’d promptly been told not to throw at Imam. “So what’s up with the string?” Riddick finally asked prodding her with his boot to her shoulder as Johns tipped her hand down so he could see her cards.

“There was this lady in the market, if you made jewelry for her she’d give you a couple creds depending on how many you brought her and how good they were. Usually you only got one cred for one necklace unless it was really impressive, and of course if you sucked at making them you needed to bring them in bulk for anything at all, but when you don’t got any money but what you can steal that day, one honest cred is a lot,” Jack said as she let Johns take one of her cards, her eyes shining when he gave her one that she needed only when they both tilted their hands down they both had two pair, technically Johns won his pair was higher. “Not to mention she risked losing merchandise by giving us the string and beads to work with so she had to be careful.” Jack added as she put her cards down, letting Johns shuffle the deck after her picked them up.

“Kay so why do you have so much?” Riddick asked pulling out a ball of twine with some safety-pins stuck in it to cut some string to keep him busy and distract his hands.

“I was the only one of the group with a bag… actually I feel kind of bad I had to bail so fast… They’re gonna have to try and convince her about what happened when they come out of hiding if they still wanna make money,” Jack said leaning back on her hands looking at Riddick as he cut off four really long pieces for himself with his shiv. She could only guess he was going to make a necklace. 

Necklaces had been the kind of frivolous things her and her friends hadn’t needed but often eyed longingly when they were full enough to not be thinking about their next meal. When you had to steal food and were always hungry, you couldn’t risk getting caught trying for something like jewelry, sometimes you needed clothes but you only stole clothes when you were desperate and you couldn’t get anything from a church or charity. Kids who stole food went to an orphanage because they couldn’t take care of themselves, but kids who stole non-necessities went to juvie. On planets like the one Jack came off of if you went to juvie and you were lucky they kicked you out at eighteen, if you weren’t you went to war, if not war you still went into the service. Race, gender, creed it didn’t matter, if the warden didn’t like you, you fought for the government that housed you because you fucked up. It was exactly the kind of thing Jack had been running from.

“Bail? I thought your parents died in the crash,” Johns said as he set the deck down, sick of playing even though he’d just stacked the deck to his advantage.

“I said they were dead,” Jack insisted leaving _I didn’t say when they died_ hanging in the air as she swiped up her cards and wrapped a rubberband around them. Imam had tried to learn about her right after he spilt to Johns she was a girl. Not her fault no one asked when or where they’d actually died.

“Did you think Jack and her parents were gypsies Johns? You’ve called her a street kid yourself,” Riddick said tying off the ends of his string with a knot. When Johns just shrugged picking up the bag of beads from the seat, Riddick asked looking at Jack, “So why did you have to bail so fast Kiddo?” They hadn’t broached the subject when she’d been talking to him in the beginning telling him about herself. His question asked Riddick retrieved a safety-pin and stuck it through the knot he made and the knee of his pants, and started to knot the two outer strings around the two middle ones, content to have something for his hands to do. After all Johns was all relaxed now, but Riddick doubted the merc would appreciate him doing weapons maintenance in such a confined area.

“I stole a ring, I got it to Gale before I took off though. It was the ugliest thing I’ve ever seen but the rock was real, and it’ll feed them for a month once they can hock it… if they haven’t already…” Jack realized that while she was talking present tense but odds were good that her friends had already come out of hiding, sold the ring, and eaten any food they had bought with the money. It took time to get from one end of the verse to the other. “They probably have…”

“Everyone loses time and a couple people to cryo” Johns shrugged lightly tossing the bag on the seat. He was going on a decade of cryo years, lost a good chunk to being in the army the rest to hunting down and transporting bounties all over the verse and back.

“I guess,” Jack shrugged before she grinned a bit bragging, “I had that ring all the way off that government woman’s finger before she realized it was even gone, it was my best lift ever. You think she would have known something was up when I wanted to shake her hand but she was so full of herself, she puffed up like a proud bird when I pretended to suddenly recognize that she was important.”

“You shouldn’t do things like that Jack,” Imam said pausing in his prayer. “Tricking people, stealing…”

“Why not?!” Jack asked her voice rising as she spun around on the ground to glare at the holy man. “She probably had a bunch of other rings just like that one! Some government official touring the slums pretending like they were there to see how they could make it better! That ring probably fed my family for a month! She ate every day, she didn’t need some ugly ring it probably wasn’t even her best one!”

“But it wasn’t yours to take,” Imam said watching her though he could see her side. He felt she obviously didn’t know right from wrong, or if she did she didn’t care. “It was still a crime.”

Jack held her breath to avoid yelling at the man further before she turned her back on him again. “Stupid man, doesn’t know what it’s like to be hungry all the time,” Jack muttered **loudly** before she stood up and walked around Johns to seat herself in the copilots seat glaring out at the stars. “He would’ve tried to take it too he’d watched his friend starve to death in an alley.”

Riddick watched as he continued knotting the hemp. He glanced toward Imam who for once didn’t just return to praying but sat quietly, then to Jack who was cooling herself off. Problem seemed to be that Jack knew stealing was "wrong" and didn’t know how to defend herself when her original reason didn’t seem to please Imam. The problem Riddick saw was that Jack felt she needed to defend herself. She knew why she stole the woman’s ring, she’d taken it because she needed to feed her friends, and Jack was right if that woman was touring the slums she wasn’t wearing anything she really cared about. Anyone would have tried to do the same thing after seeing someone die of starvation, especially a friend.

ooo

 _It’s quiet_ , Riddick thought absently. Johns was a little doped up at the moment so he wasn’t going to be much conversation anyway, but Imam wasn’t praying. After his and Jack’s little disagreement he shut up. Hadn’t said a word, or made much more noise than a sigh.

Originally he’d been doing pushups, nothing hardcore just a few to get his muscles moving before they turned to mush. When Jack finally pulled herself from her self-imposed time out hours (and a nap) later she sat on him, which was the only reason he was still down on the floor. She was laying on her back on his as she inspected the necklace he made, it was regular hemp with two simple black wooden beads. 

It was definitely a guys’ necklace. “You would have gotten a cred for this, it’s nice work,” Jack finally said after she satisfied the end knots and the beads weren’t loose. Riddick grunted in acknowledgement as he pushed up onto his hands and knees getting Jack to slide off him and sit in one of the chairs. Following after her and sitting down beside her Riddick watch as she just held the necklace before she leaned against his arm. “Where’d you learn to do this?” Jack asked.

“I was a kid once,” Riddick shrugged even though Jack made a displeased noise and grabbed onto his arm to keep him still before laying her head against him again, “Something someone taught me to keep me and a room full of other kids busy in what juvie liked to call art class.”

“Huh…” Jack hummed distractedly. Obviously Riddick had been a kid once, it was just hard to imagine. Riddick went into juvie so he had to be young enough to not be sent straight to slam, he was in the army when he was “younger than he is now”, granted he killed his squad, but Jack can really only imagine him in her mind’s eye as he looks beside her now sometimes his clothes shifted back to before they were ripped and grimy, but she was the only one who had on clothes that didn’t look completely offensive.

“What?” Riddick asked when she didn’t elaborate her hum.

“Nothing, I guess some people you just can’t imagine them as kids because… I dunno,” Jack said with a light shrug, “Being a kid doesn’t fit with your image of them.” Jack could clearly imagine Imam as a small child, Johns aged down to a teenager better then an actual kid but she could still see it. Riddick though… “You’re sure you didn’t just pop out of a shadow somewhere?” Jack asked giving him a cheeky grin making John snort from his seat in happy town.

Riddick chuckled a little shaking his head as he looked up at the ceiling, “I’m sure kid.”

ooo

“Riddick… I can’t sleep…” Jack muttered even though Riddick and Johns had switched positions and so they actually had a chance to properly recline back.

“Just close your eyes,” Riddick mumbled running his fingers though Jack’s hair as he opened his eyes to look down at her. Her hand was at his thigh tracing his goggles through his pocket, but it’s not like that was what was keeping him up. He’d slept enough to keep him going for a while. There just wasn’t anything else to do though. If

“They are,” Jack insisted, squirming a bit.

“Just sit there,” Riddick told her even though he wanted nothing more than to get up and move around too. She settled back up against him moving her hand away from his goggles as she let him push his fingers through her hair.

“I want this to be over already, it’s a shipping lane, _someone_ needs to pass by.” Jack grumbled into his chest. “That and I’m tired of drinking in sips… I mean I didn’t eat every day but you could always find a water fountain somewhere. Also I want something that doesn’t taste like dirt…”

“Hey some of it tastes like old dirt,” Riddick grumbled back affectionately as she crawled up further so her head was right under his chin.

“What if the government picks us up?” Jack asked sadly.

“I’ll come find you after I escape, you aren’t getting out of it that easy,” Riddick said with a light shrug as he rubbed Jack’s back. “Government will drop me off at the first government sanctioned slam they pass, probably back to Ursa Luna.”

“But you escaped from Ursa Luna already,” Jack said looking up at him confused.

“They hardly ever care, it’s whatever’s closest, Johns was taking me back there anyway,” Riddick said as he kept the slow strokes up and down the kid’s spine going. After that she stayed quiet, still just as awake as him but she was putting in an effort now. 

That is until she asked, “What exactly are you going to do with me?” Really Jack had been sitting on this question for a long time. In a way she didn’t care, in another she’d like to be warned first.

“For right now, just keep you with me,” Riddick said looking at Jack when she leaned up to look at him.

“Fine, but what do you want?” Jack asked sitting up even though Riddick just stayed leaning back.

“Everything,” Riddick shrugged. He was entitled to it wasn’t he? “That bother you?”

“Why would it?” Jack shrugged back with a bit of false bravado. “I just wanted a heads up.”

“We got plenty of time for everything Jack,” Riddick told her reaching out and pulling her back down to him throwing the edges of his blanket back over her. “You scared?” Riddick ended up asking, even though it was cruel to do that to her because if she was he didn’t care. He wasn’t a complete monster though, he’d show her how to protect herself first, and that alone would take years. She’d learn to earn her keep, help him when he wanted jobs to go smoother. Who knew maybe he’d see her as a kid forever.

“Never,” Jack said leaning up to glare at him. “You said we had a lot of time.”

“Sister, right now all we got is time,” Riddick hummed as Jack laid back down sticking her head right back under his chin, “But nothings gonna happen till you’re ready, just remember it’s all mine.” His animal was purring, it was the only way he could describe the constant noise the other him inside his head was making. He’d wait till she was ready for it all, whether she’d done things before it’d be different with him. Her first spar, her first fight, her first kill, drink, kiss, fuck. They had time, there was no reason to rush, no reason for her not to be absolutely prepared. It all would all have to wait till they were picked up though.


	3. Clean

_They’re not government._

_They’re not mercs._

_They’re my kind of people._

When it became apparent to Riddick that they weren’t talking to a government sanctioned cargo ship, and it wasn’t an overgrown merc ship Riddick quickly took over for Johns who thought they were entitled to a free ride. They were on a long drawn out track to death, they weren’t entitled to nothing but what was on their own skiff. All Johns had been doing was getting them left behind again. He made a decent poker buddy and good conversation but Riddick was not going to leave their fate up to the merc. It had been two weeks since they got off that god forsaken planet and he was not going to cut it down to the wire because Johns didn’t know how to bargain. With no video link they couldn’t look each other over, him and this other man, so everyone would just have to be surprised later. “Look, we don’t have a whole lot on us right now so we can’t transfer anything from right here, but you can scrap the skiff it should be enough for right now.” Riddick explained as Jack fidgeted next to him. “We can work out extra payment after we agree on the price of the skiff.”

“Well, see the thing is we can just wait for you all to kick it and take the skiff anyway,” the man on the other side of the link insisted, “Hell we don’t even have to wait here we can just tow you behind us and let you die on the trip.”

“Or, you see that planet right down there? Well it’s a moon, but we got enough power to crash right back into it,” Riddick insisted despite the cries that came from Imam and Johns. Jack didn’t seem pleased but she didn’t make noise. _Good kid_. “Of course we wouldn’t live but the way you’re spinning it we don’t stand a chance anyway, the ship wouldn’t make it through a crash and probably wouldn’t make it through being towed against our will either.”

“You wouldn’t,” the man said disbelief in his tone.

“I would, and let me tell you there are some freaky beasts on that planet you couldn’t even go down there to pick up the rubble,” Riddick said glaring around at the men on the skiff with him in case they thought it was okay to argue with him right now. Thankfully they didn’t seem to think so. “Now there are four of us, even selling the ship off as pure scrap should be enough to get us to the closet planet. Maybe a few hundred creds on top for the food and air we’ll take up.”

There was silence for a long time before a new, female voice spoke, “The captain said we’ll bring you on board in exchange for the skiff a four hundred creds which can be paid on board here with our coms. Also you’ll get two rooms between the four of you, and that because ya’ll probably reek to high hell you’ll be getting clean first thing and paying for clothes to sit in, while your stuff goes through the wash or you’ll be waiting around naked.” The woman cut out only for the captain’s voice to come back on saying, “After you’re in and it’s safe I’ll knock on the hatch, the skiff will be facing the wrong for you to see us come out, pop the ramp open I want hands in the air.”

“Understood,” Riddick said smugly before looking back at Johns with a slight frown as the connection dropped. “Lose the jacket you look like a cop, and I can’t imagine they’ll take kindly to that.”

“Or at least let me pop the patches off it,” Jack said looking at the jacket rather than Johns with a bit of disdain. After two weeks, lots of poker games, a dozen necklaces, and twenty some-odd bracelets later Jack had honestly bonded with Johns, and suspected that Riddick might have as well. For her it was in a way that might suggest he was her really annoying older brother. Johns handed over the jacket with a huff and Riddick handed over a shiv and Jack quickly dispatched the patches and shoved them in her backpack after returning the other items to their owners.

“Yeah well Riddick you might not want to be a blatant bounty-head.” Johns grumbled as just tossed the jacket on dash, leaving him in his pants and tee.

“Rick okay with you boss?” Riddick asked with a shrug, looking around to make sure everyone figured out it was the name he was going with. It wasn’t like he was going to waste a real alias on these people, and if Jack started to call him Riddick she could catch herself and just continue Ri-ck. Couldn’t do that with a completely different name like Dom, Riddick didn’t easily flow back into Dom.

“Fine.” Johns snipped back at him.

Imam had been largely withdrawn, and didn’t seem to have much to say on the state of their being rescued, but after Riddick nearly disemboweled him for talking about Jack going to New Mecca again he’d largely given up on talking to them. When he did talk he had taken to teaching her things, such as how to play cat’s cradle and a memory game where you had to name a food item and create a list, so when he said “apple” she said “apple” back and then added “orange”, and so on and so forth. Johns played once until it reminded him he was hungry for real food, but Riddick refused to play except when one of them lost then he’d repeat the whole list back to them and if she lost lightly bop her over the head when he reached the one she missed. This happened often as she lost most of the time because after the list got too long she’d be thinking about what food to say next instead of what the list had been. Imam prayed still but only once a day, it was more tolerable knowing it eventually ended.

Riddick… They kept up their arrangement of him holding her while they slept, or were supposed to be sleeping. They only really talked then, unless they were playing poker, but that was mostly taunts. She got the feeling that he didn’t want to talk in front of the others. That maybe he’d tell her little things if they weren’t around. They’d have to wait and see. Which reminded her…

“I’m rooming with Riddick… Rick!” Jack yelled grabbing up her backpack, basically calling dibs on whatever room Riddick was in. She looked at him expectantly as he put his goggles on. She wasn’t fazed as Johns shoved the case he’d been keeping fake bullets with morphine in into the front pocket of her backpack.

“No shit kid, now think Rick over and over because if you fuck this up I’m taking it out of your ass,” Riddick said as the skiff shuddered a bit signaling it had started being towed into the larger ship. He stood and noticed that Imam obviously didn’t approve of the arrangement but Riddick still ruffled Jack’s hair as he watched her lips move while she quietly said “Rick” over and over. Shaking his head Riddick told the preacher, “Look if I was gonna to do something to her I would’a dun it already.”

Jack nodded in agreement, figuring it was true. Riddick didn’t have a modest bone in his body it seemed. Riddick looked where he wanted when people had to go, and didn’t warn anyone when he needed to go himself. Embarrassing, which led Jack to her next thought, “Rick,” She said purposely to test his fake name out, “I ain’t getting naked in front of them so they can see I’m not carrying anything.”

“Smart kid,” Johns said giving a couple claps of his hands as Riddick nodded his head in agreement. Easiest way to pick up on what someone was carrying, if not take it away, make them get naked in the guise of making them stink less and making sure they ain’t using up the water.

“I’m sure they’ll let the woman monitor your shower, besides we do reek,” Riddick said as he stood at the back of the skiff motioning for the others to stand behind him as the shuddering started again showing they were inside the cargo bay without looking out the viewport. Jack had, as it turned out, a nice little body on her when you could see it. If these people didn’t figure it out they’d have to make it clear, pulling her shirt back showed well enough. The name would probably throw them for a loop. When the knock sounded Riddick hit the button lowering the ramp and putting his hands up. Looking behind him he found Jack close behind him on his right mirroring his motion.

Once the ramp was down all the way you could clearly see they had a couple guns on them. Three men and two women. However, when none of them came running off the ship in apparent madness they all lowered their guns, if not a little hesitantly. Maybe they should have put the holy man first. He was less threatening. Too late now though.

“Okay boys, the crew showers are this way,” The captain said motioning his gun off to the side.

“I’m a girl!” Jack chirped raising one hand higher than the other. When a pause resulted Riddick sighed and lowered his hands, bunching the back of Jack’s shirt in one of his hands and making her turn to the side even as she tried to swipe at him. “Hey Brother, do you have to do it that way!?”

“Right,” The captain murmured as he scratched the back of his head. “Truth is we only got the group showers unless your brother there wants you to go into my room, one of the girls could take you…” When the look he got said no, he offered, “but Sasha” he pointed at the red head, “and Sam” he pointed next at the blonde, “can watch you at one end while the men shower at the other. We’ll provide some towels.” It was apparent when Johns said they had a kid with them, the captain didn’t know exactly what age or gender, but Jack seemed to be getting them some leeway.

“Works for me,” Jack shrugged before they all walked down the ramp and let the crew lead them to some stairs and up them. They quickly turned off and came to what looked like a public bathroom. Stalls with doors hiding toilets, sinks with counters connecting them, and the extra add on of shower stalls with clear plastic curtains in front of them. Riddick grabbed Jacks shoulder telling her, “You shower, cover up, and then get over here got it?”

“Got it,” Jack nodded before she followed the women over to the furthest stall her hand clinging to her backpack. Jack looked them over as they walked, Sam was a slight blonde woman, she looked like a picture of a gymnast she saw once her blonde hair pulled back in a tight ponytail. The red head looked fuller figured, thin but hourglass shaped, strong, her hair was in a looser ponytail her hair wavy and thick. Jack frowned as they kind of made a wall between her and the guys at the other end but figured it was more to keep the guys from her and not the other way around.

Sasha smiled at her saying, “This is the one I use Hun, so you can use my shampoo and body wash, so you don’t have to smell like old soap like the guys are gonna.”

“You can go in and get undressed and throw your clothes out, we’ll watch your bag,” Sam added smiling a bit herself.

“Kay, but if you’re gonna look through it there’s more clothes in there that’s gotta be washed,” Jack said before dropping her bag and pulling off her boots and socks before padding into the shower stall. Heck, now that she wasn’t pretending to be a boy they could look in it all they wanted.

“Sam’s going to take them all down to the laundry room once you get your clothes out here,” Sasha said as she put her gun in her holster. The clothes came out quickly handed over in a bundle before the water turned on. Since there was no shriek Sasha assumed the kid was either use to cold water or had the mind to stand out of the way of the spray.

Jack was use to cold water but assuming there was a C and an H on either side of the nob for a reason she molded herself to the wall before turning on the water sticking out her hand after a moment. Warm! Jack couldn’t remember the last time she’d taken a warm shower. Jack was more or less horrified to find that she could actually see the grime washing away, and took only a quick mouthful of water before instantly snatching up the shampoo and eyed the label. Wild Berry. She carefully took a sniff and decided it wasn’t overwhelming and started on her hair. Once seemed like enough for her increasingly shaggy, but still short hair. She couldn’t feel any gunk in her hair when she was done, but when she looked down she saw a small colorful ball that she remembered using to wash herself when she first started taking showers when her parents were alive. She frowned though because she was filthy and carefully stuck her head out to find Sasha, who was keeping her bag safe on her shoulder it seemed.

“Everything okay Hun?” Sasha asked at once, the young teen hadn’t been in there long.

“Do you have a wash cloth, or something, I mean I’m pretty ripe I don’t think you want me using your scrubby thing…” Jack said blushing faintly realizing the mostly clear curtain didn’t do much to conceal her.

“Go ahead and use it Hun, I got a hole stash of them, remember while you’re on the ship the purple one is yours now,” Sasha said pointing for Jack to finish her shower without worry.

“Thank you, oh and my name is Jack,” She said with a smile, “You can keep calling me Hun, I just figured you might wanna know.”

“You’re welcome Hun,” Sasha said waving her on.

Jack took time to make sure she was extra clean the body wash being Vanilla Bean. The smell was smooth, and in the back of her mind she was thinking of Riddick. After all, she couldn’t have him kicking her out of the bed because she smelt too strong of perfume which he’d told her he hated almost more than people just stinking. Once she was sure that she’d gotten every inch and was satisfied that the water was washing away clear like it should Jack rinsed out the soft ball of mesh and dropped it back to where it’d been before taking a few seconds to let the water run before she turned it off. She was still conscious of using up water, or she could have stood there forever letting the actually warm water just wash over her. When she turned she found Sasha holding a towel into the stall for her. It was big and fluffy and dark blue, and she dried off before wrapping it around herself. After a second more she padded out and looking to find Riddick already standing there a towel wrapped around his waist as he half leaned/half sat on a span of counter between two sinks.

She went to walk over to him before Sasha yelped coming up behind her and putting her hand on the side of her face her fingers together so she couldn’t see into the stalls. It made Jack roll her eyes and Riddick, as well as the two present male crew, chuckle. It seemed both the captain and Sam had left to do other things. Jack didn’t wanna see Johns and Imam naked anyway so she didn’t fight it. Once they were passed the showers though Sasha let Jack walk over to Riddick without her directly behind her. A quick look told Jack she was hovering though.

Riddick eyed the woman from behind his goggles before reaching out taking Jack’s chin in his hand turning and tilting her face to the side so he could look at the cut on her cheek. It scabbed over, the scab flaking a bit already. She seemed to be walking okay. She was good to go, she grinned at him too hadn’t seen that in a while. They’d all been getting sick of that skiff.

“Where’s your stash?” Jack asked tilting her head on her own to the other side, looking up into his goggles, a bit disbelieving Riddick gave up his knives.

Riddick nodded to the sink he was next to, in it was a couple of sheathes and his knives, along with Johns bullet case. If she’d been looking she would have seen them right away peeking over the top. “We’re keeping our goods on the understanding that Johns doesn’t have a gun to put the bullets in, the captain and crew are pretty much always armed even on the ship, and they’ll put you out an airlock if I cut anyone.”

“Why me?!” Jack asked punching him in the arm with one fist while the other kept her towel in place.

“Cause you’re my sister Jack,” Riddick said smirking at her as Imam stepped out of the shower a towel around his waist as well. “Apparently you drew the genetic short straw being my kin and all.”

“Siblings…?” Imam asked slightly questioning as Johns emerged from the shower also sporting a towel.

He looked around before it became obvious they were talking about Riddick and Jack. So he covered for them, because obviously someone had made a mistake somewhere and Riddick and Jack were running with it, “I know! Ya wouldn’t know it the way they act; surprised they have put each other out of the airlock.” Johns then added as he walked over to look at the pair, “Together every second. It’d drive me nuts ta have the kid hanging all over me.”

Jack grinned as Riddick pushed his fingers through her wet hair. He tilted one side of his lips up at her fondly before looking to the redhead with Jack’s bag waving her over, “Here let me put my stuff in her bag.” When Sasha handed it over he tossed Johns his case before sliding his knives carefully into Jack’s bag. It was a good thing they’d taken all Jack’s clothes to be cleaned or they wouldn’t have all fit. He even showed Jack he’d gotten back the ball he’d thrown at Imam before he stuck that in there too. Seemed to make the kid even more pleased with him, but she seemed hesitant to be hugging on him while they were both more or less naked. _Probably a wise instinct_ , he ended up thinking.

Ruffling Jack’s hair again leaving his hand on her head this time as he looked around, it was obvious everyone was getting bored just waiting around. Standing up all the way and releasing Jack, and shouldering her bag, he suggested, “Why don’t you show us to our rooms, we can be naked there, ya can bring us our clothes when they’re done.”

“Sure it only takes one person to watch two doors,” The taller of the men said with a lazy shrug. “Jonah you think you can handle it till the captain gets over his tetchy faze with them?”

“I don’t really got a choice do I Vic?” Jonah sighed as watching for the shrug that really meant “no” that he normally got, before waving for everyone to follow him, Sasha and Victor bringing up the rear. When they got to the rooms after a couple of minutes he muttered, “I’m gonna get a chair from my room.” If he was going to watch them someone else was going to break it to them about how the rooms were set up.

Sasha glared as Victor just looked at her. Apparently coming up with the idea of dumping guard duty on Jonah absolved him of all responsibility after that point. Punching him in the arm in a very not friendly manner, making Jack giggle, Sasha bluntly broke it to them, “One room has a full bed the other has a bunk bed.” She looked around the group before suggesting, “Rick since you and Jack are related maybe you two should take the room with the single bed…” She wasn’t exactly sure of the legitimacy of their being siblings, but it didn’t seem like he was hurting Jack any. Maybe they’d been a part of a street family… hopefully. When Sasha noticed that the holy man looked uncomfortable she hoped she wasn’t feeding the little girl with the boys’ name to the wolves.

“It’s fine,” Riddick nodded as Jack smiled up at him. They wouldn’t have used separate the separate bunks anyway and he wouldn’t be in the room to see Johns and Imam try to awkwardly share the bed so there was no point in arguing over rooms. Kid was practically glued to him the second the night cycle started on the skiff, probably wouldn’t be any different now. “Which room?”

“One to the right,” Victor said watching the group his eyes skimming down to Jack then back up to “Rick” who he got the feeling was glaring at him from behind those goggles.

“Sorry Imam but I call top bunk,” Johns said immediately walking into the door they showed them to the left.

“It’s fine son,” Imam said before hesitantly walking into the room after the man.

Once they were gone Jack grinned and walked over to the room her and Riddick were going to share. It was about the same time that Jonah came back with his chair to sit down. “Uh, Jack! Hun, if you need anything you tell Jonah to call me down kay?” Sasha said just as Riddick started walking in behind her.

“Sure!” Jack said happily, walking back to the door peeking her head around Riddick’s body. “Will do!”

When Riddick closed the door he let a frown slip across his lips as he moved to set Jack’s bag down on the desk in the room. “The holy man made her think I was doing shit to you.”

“Yer not,” Jack said simply as she moved around the room herself, inspecting this and that. It was a simple set up, bed, desk, chair, nightstand and a closet, but it was downright beautiful to Jack because there was a whole ship just on the other side of the door and bathrooms with doors where she could safely lock Riddick on the other side while she did her business. She bounced up onto the bed with a sigh, “It’s soft, Ri-ick…” Jack stopped right in her tracks when Riddick jerked his head “no” at her. Apparently even in private she had to call him by Rick.

Walking over he sat next to her putting his arm around her as he leaned down and put his lips to her ear saying quietly, “Just call me Brother.” If they were quite enough even if the room was bugged it get too distorted for the crew to up the volume unless they were whispering right into it.

“You’re not though,” Jack blushed even as she melted against his side, relaxed, finally able to feel relief again. It just hit her that she didn’t have to worry about dying of suffocation in a couple weeks; there weren’t monsters that were going to were going to eat her. Only other person in the room was Riddick and she didn’t find him all that dangerous, at least not towards her anyway.

“I know that kiddo,” Riddick chuckled kissing her temple, which he’d wanted to do for a good long time now. Something about putting his lips on her made her more his. “You too young to play anything else though.” When she was older she could be his girl, depending on the planet and the circumstances there might be a handful of times she’d have to be his slave, wouldn’t matter her age. If and when they did that though he imagined he’d have to force her into it, but there were places he’d probably need or want to go to where she just wouldn’t be safe as a free girl. Two people couldn’t hold papers on the same DNA though, and the hardest slavers to get away from were legit ones. There were planets were if you were female it was best someone already own you on paper.

Riddick’s thoughtful muted face quickly turned down into a frown when he found Jack sitting on him staring him in the face with a frown of her own. “Lights low,” Riddick tested out earning him a barely lit room before he pushed his goggles up and looked at Jack telling her in a soothing hum, “I’m not thinking about killing you.”

“You’re thinking something worse then,” Jack muttered using one hand to keep her towel up at the top and using the other to make sure the towel stayed down between her legs as she straddled his lap.

“Nah,” Riddick shook his head a bit, even though if she’d known what he was thinking she would have called him a liar. He put his arms around her when she pouted, and shuffled the young teen closer. “Thinking about our plan.”

“You don’t know what the closest planet is yet, or if they’ll even drop us there, they might not stop till where they’re going,” Jack insisted as Riddick held her to his chest and she laid her cheek to the warm skin of his shoulder. She got the feeling he was lying to her somehow, but she couldn’t prove it, and he was warm. If she was angry at him she probably shouldn’t be leaning on him like she was.

“Still, contingencies,” Riddick told her as he took in her sent now. Berries and vanilla, like some sweet dessert dish he had once, and just under the shower gels was the warm smell of her content feelings. “Like if the holy man does something stupid, or if Johns comes to his merc senses.”

Jack liked this, enough to let the conversation drop, she felt warm and safe right now. Until Riddick’s fingers ghosted up the back of her neck and she bolted away from him, almost not caring that the towel fell from her. Until she realized fully she wasn’t covered and she snatched it back holding it to her, covering herself.

Riddick frowned, growled a little, and wasn’t completely sure how to deal with this. The faintest bit of her arousal touched him before her fear hit him full force and she slammed her hands against his chest to propel herself back. Her heart rate was jacked up, scared, and Riddick didn’t like it. “Jack.” Riddick growled his animal calling for an explanation so this outburst could be handled properly. If he’d been hurting her that might have been an acceptable response, but that hadn’t been the case so something needed to be done. However when all he received was a whine he stood, it was only by chance his towel didn’t fall because he didn’t particularly care right now, he didn’t move closer though, just growled, “Jack get over here.” He waited a beat before repeating himself more firmly, “Get over here. Now.” She made a little distressed noise again, like a hurt fucking animal and it tore at him a bit that he was the cause of that noise, but she would get up and she would come over to him or she would not like him for a very long time. Just like when he threatened her about moving from the sled. Right when he went to seriously threaten her, tensing, she shakily got to her feet holding the towel falling vertically down her front covering the important bits but letting him see her coltish legs.

He didn’t bother to say a word, just waved her forward. Jack hesitantly moved in front of him, her eyes on the floor. Riddick pulled her forward as he sat back down, looking up at her. “Explain,” He insisted quietly. He’d have to check the room but it was probably best he not encourage her to yell. She just shook her head at the floor, even when he growled at her and pulled her closer till her legs were touching where the towel was pulled taunt over his legs hiding him. Reaching out he grabbed her chin and made her look at him breathing, “Something your uncle did, or someone else?”

Jack didn’t move, just looked at him pleadingly.

“Jack, damn it, talk to me,” Riddick insisted bringing her face down closer to his.

“Before… before I fell in with my family… after I ran away from my uncle… I was alone for a long time cause I didn’t know what I was doing… but I wasn’t dressing up as a boy yet…” Jack whined, only to stop and try to get the towel back around her without showing anything. Only Riddick took the towel and quickly wrapped it around her instead. He had to have seen all of her again but Jack didn’t feel ogled any so she was just relieved to be covered again. When that was done she took a deep breath saying as quietly as she could, “Cross… He, he said he’d watch after me, he did for over a year. I was almost twelve when… he… I didn’t want anything to do with what he ran out of that house…. But I did like being kissed…”

After that Jack seemed unwilling to keep looking at him let alone talking to him, so he had to make a guess, “Until he wanted more than kissin’.”

“I don’t wanna talk about it,” Jack insisted shortly.

Keeping his voice down Riddick asked, “If your Uncle was such a sick freak why would you trust a fucking pimp?” He wasn’t accusing her of anything, he simply wanted to know. He wanted to know from her mouth even though it’d make him want to gut someone.

“Cause my uncle was obviously a sick freak, and… and he _died_ when he tried… he only tried but I was ready for that, every night,” Jack breathed her voice hitching here and there because she was talking about this even though she didn’t want to. She tried to jerk away from Riddick like it’d jerk her away from the conversation, but Riddick grabbed the front of the towel keeping her in place. He’d figured out he was somehow compelling her to talk about this she could see it in his eyes that he knew.

“Cross, he wasn’t obviously a freak,” Riddick summed up, taking note about what Jack said about her uncle. He knew if he kept prompting her she’d keep telling him. Kid didn’t know she needed it off her chest but he could see it. She probably kept it pushed down, but he’d brought it back up. She wanted him to make her tell him so it wouldn’t be just her secret, it’d be his too. He could tell by the way she fought, but wasn’t really fighting him, because they both knew that if she really tried he’d let her hide from him for a little bit. He’d keep her secrets for her, though, she was his to keep. Every last piece of her.

“H-he was handsome and n-ice, and he kept me s-safe…” Jack hated that she was crying, but she was and she couldn’t look at Riddick anymore because of it, because she was being weak. 

Riddick grabbed her chin again saying, keeping his voice soothing and soft, like he was crooning to a wounded animal, “Until he stopped.”

“He let me stay during a party, even let me drink a bit, and when the party broke up we were layin’ out in the livin’ room listening to music cause he didn’t have a TV… and all the girls were gone for the night, I wasn’t as drunk as I was playing, I just wanted a kiss… and it felt…” Jack stopped shame jamming up her throat but Riddick didn’t let go of her chin, and he didn’t stop looking at her, and he didn’t prompt her, but what happened to her hadn’t been fair and it wasn’t fair she had to remember when she knew good and well people could make themselves forget. “It felt good what he was doin’,” Jack insisted glaring at Riddick daring him to judge her for it, before she lost her fight, tears blurring up his image as she finished for him, “Until it didn’t.”

It wasn’t lost on Jack that she was standing in a room with a full grown man and they were both a towel from being naked. Jack knew that if Riddick had the mind and the want she couldn’t gut him like she did her Uncle when he tried, and she wouldn’t be able to run away from him when he fell asleep like she did after Cross succeeded.

Riddick didn’t bother to hide the growl that bubbled up from his animal, through his chest. He pulled Jack back onto his lap, and held her against his chest as her shoulders shook because she was still crying, though she wasn’t making any noise. It wasn’t right that a kid her age associated something feeling good like that with it eventually hurting a lot worse. The world was fucked up though. After all he was a product of a fucked up world same as Jack just Jack was still growing. Riddick let her cry and held her tight, while she held him so tight she was breaking skin where she was digging her nails in him to stay close. He let her and murmured sweet nonsense to her, because it’s what his pup deserved. Because for right now it was all he could really give Jack in return for her secret: some sweet words that didn’t really mean anything, and a little blood.


	4. Activity

By the time someone knocked on the door with their clothes Jack had calmed down but she still took a little coaxing to get off his lap. When she did she laid down on her side facing away from the door, and Riddick took it for what it was, Jack not wanting to deal with anyone. Standing up he patted her hip before going to get the door just as another more urgent knock sounded. Forcing himself not to be overly forceful he opened the door his hand fisted in the towel around his waist, hushing Sasha and jerking his head towards Jack. “Had to get her off my arm, she fell asleep,” Riddick lied easily. Jack didn’t seem to be in the mood to be social, so to keep questions for her to a minimum it was probably best she not _suddenly_ be upset with only him to blame.

“Oh, well-well here are all your things,” Sasha said holding out a laundry bag. “Is she okay? She seemed so… awake earlier”

Riddick took the laundry bag calmly, saying, “Warm shower knocked her right out on me.”

“Oh, it’s good she can get some sleep, but Zephyr, the captain, he wants to speak with you before chow,” Sasha said putting her hand out and stopping him from shutting the door on her. Once he opened the door more again she told him pointedly, “Chow is in an hour.”

Riddick frowned at that before saying, “I’ll get dressed, and then go talk to him.” When Sasha still seemed to want to say something Riddick cocked his head to the side insisting with a fair amount of humor, “You’re welcome to come in and watch me dress, or if you’d like to help I wouldn’t be naked as long in front of my sister.”

“Sorry, no that… that was it… I’ll wait here and take you to the captain when you’re finished getting ready,” Sasha said backing away from the door a bit.

Riddick shrugged and shut the door before turning around to see Jack move onto her stomach and look at him with a frown of her own. “What could he want with you?” Jack asked a little dully, but still quiet, as she watched Riddick walk over to the bed with the laundry bag.

“Probably lay out the rules again, tell me what rock we’re being left on, probably nothing special unless he’s thinking I’m doing something to you too,” Riddick said as he looked through the bag dropping Jack’s underwear and sports bra on her. At least that’s what he was hoping for, what with Jack having such a good experience with Sasha. Somehow he doubted it though, all of that could potentially be said in front of everyone. Still he decided to stay quiet on any other reason he could be needed to be separated from the group just to be talked to.

When she didn’t move to get dressed, just continued to lie in her towel, he grabbed his boxers, pants, and tank telling her, “Now, turn your head or I’m going to flash you.” He paused a beat, but when she didn’t move an inch he let the towel drop smirking as Jack blushed and hid her face before he went about getting dressed as he normally would. He warned her, not his fault she didn’t take him seriously.

When Jack turned her head back he was zipping his pants up and she frowned as she watched him, asking, “What if they want me to stay in a different room?”

“You keep your things in the other room and come to me when you want,” Riddick shrugged as he pulled his tank on. He wouldn’t be able to go to her bunk, but no one would stop her from coming to his. If they tried Riddick would quickly correct them. “Now get dressed so I can go talk to this man, otherwise I doubt we’re getting any food in ya.”

“Turn your head or I’m going to flash you?” Jack asked more than stated as Riddick had hoping he’d turn his head.

Riddick watched her for a moment but when she didn’t move he reached for the bag again and shifted through her contents pulling out a pair of pants and then one of her shirts for her. When he looked up again she’d apparently found her underwear more important than her bra and Riddick had to refrained from fully forming his thoughts on her choice. After all she just continued to pull on her clothes anyway even though she was blushing to high hell, and how she was managing all of this while staying on the bed would have escaped him if he hadn’t had to change in some obscenely small spaces ranging from a closet to a poorly dug foxhole he couldn’t stick his head out of without being shot at. His mind still managing to roll over other thoughts Riddick insisted, “Me and you, we’re going to have a chat about boundaries tonight.”

“You know what that word means?” Jack asked, a cheeky grin jumping onto her lips. If she was going to have to face people she couldn’t be visibly stuck in her own mini hell or they’d be concerned, so she was using Riddick to claw her way out.

“Faintly,” Riddick told her as she crawled off the bed to follow over to the desk where his weapons and their shoes were. He and Jack pulled on their shoes before Riddick dropped a shiv into his boot. Normally he’d put his holster on, but it wasn’t he didn’t want to make anyone twitchy so Riddick put one in his cargo pocket, even taking the chance to leave it unsheathed.

He had been waiting until they were on their own to have the boundary talk, but it seemed they’d need to have it now since they’d actually have time to themselves away from prying eyes. He wanted what few lines he would have for her out in the sand, and if she had any to add on she’d need to speak up so he could consider them. That was for tonight though; right now they had other things to see to. When he opened the door Jack jumped right on his first question for Sasha for him.

“I don’t have to stay in the room do I?” Jack asked, sounding as if that was the worst possible fate they could come up with for her, as she grabbed onto Riddick’s arm before he could put it around her. If Riddick didn’t tell her to stay in the room then he wanted her with him, and she didn’t want to be left alone anyway. She hadn’t been alone since this started and she really didn’t want to be alone now.

Riddick was just honestly glad the kid had control of herself. Sasha smiled indulgently, and thankfully didn’t have his sense for the kid or she’d know that Jack’s current perk wasn’t genuine. He could feel it in the way she held onto his arm harder then she needed to, and the way she jumped on the question instead of just trying to come along and then reacting later. Kid was good, though he wasn’t particularly happy that his pup had needed to develop such a skill set. It was something that couldn’t be helped though. Either way he wanted her close at hand.

“The captain wants to talk to your brother alone, but you can walk with us there, and then we’ll get the food prep spitting out our meal,” Sasha said with a grin, “You’ve probably had enough of confined spaces for now.” At the exaggerated nod she got Sasha couldn’t help but chuckle before she turned and waved for the two to follow after her, leaving Jonah feeling more than slightly ignored as he read his magazine from his chair waiting for chow when he’d take the other two to the mess hall.

ooo 

“So… Rick I don’t actually plan on wasting the fuel to set you down on the next available planet, which happens to be Demeter, so you and yours will be trucked out to Hermes where my payload is going, but you can get anywhere from Hermes for a decent price, it’d take longer and more coin to get off Demeter anyway,” Zephyr explained as he sat across from the larger man at the long table in the mess hall. “We’re about two months out from Hermes, so you and the other men will need to earn your keep or shell out that hundred cred I talked about. The kid can have a free ride though.”

“The holy man can probably pay the cred, Johns will probably work, but I’m not in their heads or wallets, you’ll have to talk to ‘em. Me, I’ll work,” Riddick shrugged. He was not one to shell out coin when he didn’t have to. “As for dropping us on Hermes by all means.”

“Got any skill with engines? Computers maybe?” Zephyr asked since he’d apparently be talking to the others about coin or work.

“We gonna fall out of the sky?” Riddick asked his tone suddenly deadpanned, it was not something he needed.

“Occasionally when we land, but hey we’ve made it every time so far with Sasha in the engine room,” Zephyr shrugged. It was the kind of shrug you got from someone who knew they could make do with what they had.

“I can take a look at your engine, computers aren’t my thing when they’re not working right,” Riddick shrugged accepting the answer he was given. Sometimes things were never smooth, but you road it out. They probably just had a lot of turbulence coming in, but Zephyr and his crew were alive and their ship was moving through space so Riddick wasn’t concerned. After all he was pretty close to rock bottom the only place else they had to go was up or dead, and once you were dead you couldn’t rightly complain.

“Fair enough,” Zephyr said before he looked towards the kitchen area where he could see Jack and Sasha looking through the food preps menu still. “Sasha wanted me to talk to you about something else.”

“I’m not fucking Jack,” Riddick offered bluntly.

“Fair enough,” Zephyr shrugged.

“Believe me or don’t rightly care?” Riddick asked as he leaned forward to look in the kitchen when Jack yelled, “Please!” Apparently the kid found what she wanted to eat.

“I believe you’re not fucking her more then I believe she’s your sister,” Zephyr said watching the goggled man settle back in his seat. “In all seriousness though, I think if you were hurting her it’d show, and it doesn’t show so I’m not concerned like Sasha is.” When he just got a nod Zephyr rested his cheek on his fist asking, “So what is she really? Regardless of your answer I’ll keep telling the crew she’s your sister Ridd-.”

They both stopped, both went very still, because someone in the room had just fucked up and it was not Jack as Riddick thought it would be. Riddick was forever grateful for his goggles because it gave him the opportunity to look towards the kitchen to see the girls didn’t know what was going on without giving Zephyr and opening. Instead just as the click of a holster opening sounded Riddick’s shiv was already in flight hitting the man in the eye. The chair unfortunately fell back but Riddick already had the shiv from his boot in his hand as he quickly moved to the kitchen just as Sasha made it to the doorway. Her jugular was open before her mouth but his hand was over her mouth anyway to block any lingering sounds as he spun her around and broke her neck for good measure. Sometimes neck wounds just didn’t bleed fast enough. His eyes finding Jack who was staying back near the cabinets.

He let the redheads body fall watching Jack to see if she was going to scream but when she opened her mouth it was to say, “Sam is the pilot, Vic and Jonah are gun hands.”

“That’s my girl,” Riddick purred motioning her to follow him. There was a vent back out in the hall he’d leave Jack there and… Riddick was viciously stopped there from his animal. For the same reason he didn’t let Jack call him Riddick in the room was the same reason he couldn’t leave Jack in the vent. If someone was watching security, waiting in a room to be taken, or to watch him slip up, he couldn’t leave Jack. Just like his animal wanted Jack had to stay with him until he was sure she was protected properly. There was a corner before they’d come to Jonah sitting in the hall the entire cargo ship like one big oblong spiral on the inside. He’d have to leave Jack there for a second, and take Jonah. The question would be if he could trust Johns… he couldn’t but he could trust the holy man. If Jonah was a gun hand he’d probably have a smaller gun on his person just like the captain and Sasha had. Riddick stopped naturally before the end of the hall which if he was wrong about Vic’s location concealed a still bored Jonah…

Jack didn’t bump into Riddick, but she still stopped right behind him gripping his shirt. She knew things were going bad, but Sasha had been nice to her. She’d just started believing Riddick wasn’t hurting her, but now the woman was dead. It would have made her more upset if she hadn’t known that Sasha would have killed Riddick if he hadn’t killed her first. The woman hadn’t had a chance to draw her gun but she’d undone her undone the strap holding her gun into her holster. Riddick was the important one, and she really didn’t want him to go around that corner where that man was waiting. Jack only let go of Riddick when he reached behind to grab her wrists, and she nodded when he turned just enough to signal for her to stay there, moving so her back was against the wall and she was a few more feet back in case she had to run. It would put the next corner just that much closer for her to dive behind.

Riddick suspected she’d scream if someone was behind them somehow, so he walked out and around the corner casually only to stop at the site in front of him. Jonah still sat in his chair but three guns sat on the ground next to him while he thumbed through his magazine like nothing had changed.

“I’m not stupid.” Jonah merely noted and pulled out his earpiece dropping it on the floor with the guns. “You’re going to kill me or you’re not.”

Riddick moved closer, toed the guns with one of his boots before grinning, and asking, “Where you’re coworkers at?”

“Sam’s locked in the bridge, Vic’s probably watching us from the security room, last door before the flight deck,” Jonah explained as he closed his magazine and set it on the floor on the other side of his guns.

“Am I going to need to kill them both?” Riddick asked as he knelt and picked up the big gauge and one of the smaller guns. Then he moved over to the door he assumed the merc and the preacher were still behind.

“Probably, Sam and Sasha might as well have been sisters,” Jonah shrugged.

Riddick grinned darkly before leveling the handgun on Jonah, “You understand I can’t trust you, right?” Only the man fucked it up for himself because instead of just sitting there and accepting it, which would have kept him alive, he dove for the gun that Riddick had left out for him. The gunfire drew Johns from the room, and to his frustration Jack from around the corner. He shoved the big gauge at Johns before pointing to the ground, signaling where he wanted Jack to stand. When Jack moved to the spot he wanted her in he growled out his question, “And what would you have done if I’d been the one who was shot?” When she didn’t say anything, just looked at the ground properly ashamed of herself, Riddick scuffed her over the back of the head with his free hand saying, “Exactly you wouldn’t have done shit besides get shot too.” Lucky for her he didn’t have the proper amount of time to scold and punish her right now so he grabbed the holy man’s arm, jerking him from his praying over the dead boy as he shoved the hand gun against the man’s chest. “You go back in that room and you watch the kid. You don’t come out till I come get you out. If anyone but _me_ opens that door, that means Johns too, you shoot them.”

Imam didn’t seem to understand at first but when he had Jack shoved in front of him the man moved with more purpose. Held the gun steadily and ushered Jack into the room before him. “Knock three times,” was all Imam said before shutting the door on both of them.

“Trusting your kid with the preacher?” Johns asked as he watched Riddick pull the other handgun out from under the bleeding corpse.

“Better then I trust you,” Riddick shrugged as he motioned for Johns to walk with him, explaining, “We’re going to have to take out Vic and the blonde, everyone else is dead.”

“You just clean house everywhere you go don’t you?” Johns chuckled as he walked with the convict, gun aimed and ready for anything coming at them. As the only other people who would be out and about were due to die he didn’t have to worry about accidently shooting someone he shouldn’t. It’s like their fight for survival just wasn’t done yet. Probably wouldn’t be until they parted ways.

“The captain figured it out,” Riddick insisted simply, his blood practically thrumming with his new found activity after having to sit idle for so long, “Instead of trying to lure me into a false sense of security, like any half smart person would’ve, he decided to try and shoot me. The redhead was between me and the kid, and Jonah… well he could have lived if he didn’t go stupid at the end too.” The other two would just have to go with the others. You couldn’t trust someone who was upset you killed their partners, and you couldn’t really trust someone who’d turn on the people they’d been traveling with for god knows how long anyway. It was best that just the planet survivors. They’d put down on Hermes just the same and sell to some old acquaintances of Riddick’s and split the take and go on their way.

First they had to finish with the fun and games.

Once they neared the hall that led up to the bridge Riddick and Johns stopped. There were three doors. One was the one to the flight deck the other two were potential question marks. One was closer to the bridge then the other, but who was to say Jonah had been telling the truth? They both watched the doors for a moment before Johns said, “I’ll take the two doors, you take the pilot.”

_Good enough._

“Clear the way,” Riddick waved the merc forward tucking the handgun in the back of his pants and retrieving his shiv. They couldn’t go shooting at the pilot they might hit something important after all. The security room was not as important; if they shot something in there they just couldn’t spy on each other, which was probably for the best. Stop anyone from getting any ideas.

And then it all happened in the classic way where everything seemed like it was dragging but in reality it took a little more than sixty seconds. Johns took out the center of the sliding doors to the flight deck rendering them useless before Riddick moved forward at the scream, and Johns kicked in the first door. Riddick locked onto the woman standing not at the controls but in the corner next to the doors he’d just pushed open almost instantly. She had her gun aimed for him, but Riddick was sure she didn’t have it in her to shoot someone. Her hands shook, as well as the rest of her body, she gave off a scent of fear of course he’d been shot by someone who he thought didn’t have it in them before. Riddick studied her, knew there was only one way to carry this on. He went for her anyway, he had barely taken a step and then it seemed like time sped back up full force, she turned the weapon on herself the bullet leaving the chamber into her brainpan just as Johns kicked in the other door and two shots fired. 

Disgust rolled off Riddick in waves as he glared down at the corpse in front of him. His lip curled betraying how he felt about what he’d just witnessed. He wasn’t concerned about the other gunshots that had sounded as Johns was currently cursing a blue streak. Probably hit, but not critically.

_Who gives up that fast?_

_No one who really wants to be alive would give up so fast._

Riddick thought as he turned and left to find a dead man slumped over in the seat with gore seeping from a hole in his head, and Johns inspecting his upper arm. It was just a flesh wound, and that’s even if you could call it that, it looked more like the merc been attacked by a particularly lazy animal that only got one claw in. When Johns looked up he said, “He shot before he could even see me all the way, who does that?”

“At least he didn’t shoot himself,” Riddick grunted as he headed back to the bunk where Imam was watching Jack feeling wholly unsatisfied by the way this ended. “These people were just not right.”

And it was Riddick saying this; the two men shared a look that, even with Riddick’s goggles in the way, clearly said how _not right_ that made those people. One slip up and they all went down in less than a half hour. Even to Johns that just didn’t seem kosher.

“Still, I think I would’ve preferred it to getting shot,” Johns shrugged as they continued walking. “I mean we make it off a planet with man-eating beasts relatively unscathed, a planet we crashed into, and then I get shot.”

“We can’t use that as a reason bad shit shouldn’t happen to us for the rest of our lives,” Riddick chuckled with a bit of humor as they came back up on the door. He knocked three times and stood back as he listened to Jack scramble around.

“Maybe not, but I heard you and the kid talking about it being such a waste if we had died on the skiff after all that, so I plan to use it till we get to something that resembles the end of this trek,” Johns shrugged as he watched Riddick listening. After a little while Johns looked at the door with a lifted brow asking, “Do I want to know?”

“From what I can hear the kid thinks I’m mad at her, preacher’s giving her a sporting chance,” Riddick explained under his breath as he cocked his head towards the door to listen more, but footsteps were coming up to it and they weren’t Jack’s booted feet against the flooring.

When Imam opened the door he insisted, “I would like to say a few words over the crew before… as Jack so eloquently put it, you shove them out the airlock before they start stinking.” It was obvious the holy man did not approve one bit of what just happened, or how the now deceased crew were going to be treated. He looked pointedly at Riddick waiting for an answer.

Riddick shrugged looking at Johns before looking back to the preacher saying, much like he was indulging a child, “Sure the three of us will collect the bodies, and line them up all pretty like for you before we space ‘em.”

“We should’ve kept one of them alive, now we’re gonna have to clean all this shit up…” Johns grumbled only to shut his trap when Imam gave him a stern look and moved over to the young man still splayed out in the hallway.

Riddick watched Johns turn the guy over, muttering about brain matter, before grabbing his arms while Imam grabbed his feet. Once they started off Riddick stuck his head in the room pointedly noticing the covers and pillows hiding the underside of the bunk bed and insisted, “Kid, I expect you in our bunk by the time I’m done with Imam’s religious nonsense.” He didn’t wait for an answer; instead he shut the door and headed for the kitchen to retrieve the two corpses there.

ooo

Riddick rolled his shoulders and cracked his neck as he finished cleaning the hallway. Imam went from insisting he pray over the bodies before they were spaced, to insisting the men (and not the kid) clean the blood from everywhere, even the security room that was being shut and labeled off limits. Jack did not need that kind of time that was more than a sporting chance that was just cheating. If anything he was more irritated because the kid had somehow been exempt from all the dirty work. He glared pointedly at their door, having already told the holy man he was not putting Jack in a separate room. Johns however jumped at the chance of the nice large bedroom that had been behind the first door he kicked in. Apparently the captains quarters had been there, and since Johns was now pilot no one disputed it. That and Riddick had something against a door that didn’t close right.

All he could think was that the kid better be in there, even though he took a detour to the bathrooms to dump the bucket in one of the shower stalls. Riddick hadn’t seen her go in there but she’d had plenty of chances to switch rooms. Imam and Johns had finished a little while before him, pawning the bigger jobs off on him because he’d killed most of the crew, and because Imam had to sew up Johns in the beginning. More than a little disgruntled by how fast and easy things had gone, and then the resulting cleanup Riddick quickly got back to the room moving inside before something else could call him away from seeing Jack.

As he expected she was waiting for him, but something in how he was acting made her nervous because she started to fidget. In truth it was because he was so tense. Jack got the feeling that while things had gone right for the group, things had somehow not gone the way Riddick had wanted them. She also got the feeling that you didn’t want to be the only person around when Riddick was feeling this way, especially when you’d done something stupid.

“I’m in here?” Jack asked in that obviously meant _at least I’ve done something right?_

Riddick watched her rolling this over in his mind. Pushed away the thought of how she’d not stayed where it was safe, he didn’t want to encourage that, but it seemed like punishing her now would be disjointed. “Yeah you are,” Riddick breathed as he moved over to the bed sitting heavily on it next to Jack.

“Can we still have burgers…?” Jack asked cautiously, watching him carefully. They hadn’t eaten yet, and she was thirsty, but she was prepared to sit there and suck it up if Riddick said no. She didn’t want to push him after their cover had been so completely wrecked that they were alone again with Imam and Johns.

“Burgers?” Riddick asked even as he stood back up to take the kid to the mess hall. Jack was thin enough in his opinion; she needed to eat better if she was going to be able to keep up with him. The kid had obviously been running on empty for too long already.

“It’s uh… what I had picked… before… They-we have a food prep, the industrial kind that makes pretty much anything… some of it’s even real, like the bread.” Jack explained as she crawled off the bed to stand next to Riddick who stopped at the door.

“Let’s not get sick okay kid,” Riddick insisted brushing his finger through her hair as he looked down at her. When he got a nod he opened the door and started to lead the way.

ooo

“Told you,” Riddick rumbled as he stood close behind Jack while she brushed her teeth at one of the sinks in the crew bathroom. It had taken a little hunting but they’d found some personal hygiene supplies in one of the bunks, all unopened and untouched. Jack suggested they had been Sasha’s but they all decided it matter little now considering how everything had gone earlier. Both Jack and Johns had ended up puking because they ate too much too fast after eating practically nothing. In the mirror he watched her give him a dirty look, but she was still obediently brushing her teeth and tongue. Once she rinsed out her mouth Jack turned to Riddick eyeing him for a moment before promptly losing her fight and leaning in to him. She grumbled into his side as she tried pushed herself under his arm getting Riddick to let out an amused snort, “What was that?”

“You’re an evil bastard, you just sat there and watched me eat too much,” Jack grumbled as Riddick picked her up and started to carry her to their room.

“I told you to take it slow before you started eating,” Riddick told her, keeping his voice low and smooth. He suspected she still wasn’t feeling too incredibly hot at the moment. His only relief was that it was highly unlikely she was really sick instead she was probably just feeling crummy because she’d just thrown up her first good meal in god knows how long. Still even if she wasn’t listening well today Riddick was carrying her if only because her body punished her for him. Jack pressed her forehead to his cheek and he nudged her back as they came up on their bunk. Jack’s legs tightened against his sides as he moved his arm out from under her to open the door, after they were inside he kicked the door shut.

He set Jack down pulling the shiv from his boot and putting it under the pillow before shucking out of his boots, watching as Jack took off hers tossing them off to the side. Once out of his boots Riddick pulled off his shirt throwing it on the chair behind him as he moved onto the bed sitting down next to Jack with his back against the wall. Riddick pulled off his goggles, because the room was dim enough, shoving them under the pillow with the shiv before he wrapped his arm around Jack after she cuddled into his side. After a couple minutes of silence he asked, “Remember what I said we were gonna talk about?”

“Boundaries?” Jack said as she melted further into his side. She hadn’t forgotten, and she was kind of wondering what kind of boundaries Riddick could possibly have.

“Yeah,” Riddick said leaning in and nuzzling her temple, “If I tell you to stop I mean it. Things have worked out with us sharing a bunk, but if I ever tell you to stop touching me I mean it, stop moving, I mean it. You understand?” His tone wasn’t harsh, but he was firm about it. This was for her anyway. When she nodded he grinned and pulled her up onto his lap and brushed his fingers through her hair as he went on, “I’m not going to warn you anymore when I’m getting changed or anything, you look or you don’t. I’ll look or I won’t, you don’t want me to watch you, change in the bathroom. It’s all up to you.” He wasn’t sure why but he was feeling incredibly… tender towards Jack right now. Maybe it was how she handled him killing Sasha, or holding her secret for her, but the dust was settled and Jack was still with him.

“I get it,” Jack nodded as she leaned into his hand. “These seem more like rules though.”

“The first one maybe, the second one is more about your boundaries,” Riddick hummed before adding, “Also, I’m putting in the effort to not do anything to you, so don’t provoke me.” His thoughts hadn’t strayed too seriously down any of those paths but it’d been a long time and he didn’t need her pushing it.

“Provoke you how?” Jack asked, she had a feeling she knew what he was getting at (more than a feeling really) but she wasn’t entirely sure how she could go about that with Riddick. She didn’t know what she could do to set off that kind of reaction in Riddick without him just shoving her off if he didn’t want her there. 

“If you need to ask you don’t have to worry about it,” Riddick chuckled pulling her forward so she was laying into him. “Just remember that if I tell you to knock it off I mean it.” After she nodded against his chest he asked, “Anything you wanna throw out there?”

“I just want to know when you’re going to stop putting in the effort,” Jack mumbled looking up at him. She figured she rather Riddick do something to her then someone else, but if he was serious about not hurting her she wanted to know if it changed. She couldn’t think of anything else she wanted.

Riddick frowned lightly in thought before shifting around so he was lying down with his head on the pillow with Jack on top of him. Once they were settled Riddick nodded saying, “I can do that.” He could do that for his pup, tell her if was going to just let things happen, but he got the feeling that if he ever stopped trying she’d figure it out on her own around the same time he’d realize he would have to tell her. Riddick grinned when he felt Jack cuddle closer, moving up higher so her head was resting against his shoulder. There was something in that kind of trust that he liked a lot, her bonelessly lying against him, her calm kept his animal calm.


	5. The Countdown

_One week out from Hermes…_

Johns stood stock-still as Riddick snarled. Sure the convict wasn’t snarling at him, but Johns still was not pleased about the position he currently found himself in. Jack was hiding behind him grinning at Riddick like she was the cat who caught the canary. Riddick looked like he might just actually disembowel the kid this time. Johns was slightly amused by the reactions Jack drew out of Riddick, but he couldn’t move really move too much. If he moved to hide Jack better, Riddick would instantly perceive him as a threat because he was getting between him and the kid. He’d done it before and it led to being shoved right into the wall and needing a shot of morphine, but if he moved to get away from the situation Jack would pout at him all through dinner. All three of the men, to varying degrees, had found themselves giving into that pout about something. Jack was their glue they all knew it by now; she made them keep their shit together.

“You’re provoking me Pup,” Riddick growled lowly at Jack.

Johns watched as Jack’s grin faltered and felt her grab the back of his shirt, or what was now his shirt anyway. He didn’t understand what it meant but it apparently meant something between the two of them that she was _provoking_ him. Johns still didn’t move though, moving right now was inherently dangerous, even if he was pretty much thinking of himself as a table or a chair two kids run around while playing tag.

“Come here,” Riddick practically barked at her.

When Jack didn’t move, and Johns recognized Riddick tensing more he carefully pulled her from behind him. He put Jack in front of him, but left his hands on her shoulders for support. This didn’t seem to make Riddick much happier, but Jack wasn’t moving on her own anyway. “You know better than any of us that he’s not going to maul you, get moving,” Johns said letting her go, nudging her in the man’s direction before moving to leave as casually as possible.

Jack watched Johns disappear around a corner and looked back to Riddick who was just standing there waiting. They both tensed at the same time, but when Jack stepped forward Riddick relaxed a bit waiting for her to move directly in front of him like she knew she was supposed to, because after just over of a month together he didn’t need to point anymore. She was still for all of a second before she fidgeted looking up at him, pushing her shaggy hair out of her face. He grabbed her chin with a low growl asking her, “What did I tell you?”

“Don’t provoke you…” Jack mumbled quietly.

“So what was that?” Riddick asked keeping their eyes locked even if she couldn’t actually see his eyes.

“I didn’t mean it…” Jack breathed closing her eyes against his goggles where she could see herself.

“Open your eyes,” Riddick snarled. When she opened her eyes he told her, “Don’t do shit you don’t mean, or I’m going to let the holy man make you pray instead of having training with me. Understand?” Jack swallowed but she nodded her understanding. “Good now go set up the food prep for dinner.”

Once Jack was heading off for the mess hall Johns stepped back out into the hall asking, after Jack was around the corner, “What did she do? I thought you two were sparring.”

“I was showing her how to get out of holds, didn’t work out,” Riddick growled as he started walking towards the mess after Jack.

“Didn’t work out for who?” Johns asked as he followed after the convict.

“Either of us,” Riddick shrugged stiffly.

ooo

Jack frowned as she stuck her hand out of the shower. Sure a fluffy towel appeared there, but she wasn’t looking forward to talking to Riddick and what she could see of his blurry outline told her she wasn’t going to get away with avoiding him any longer. He’d stood there the whole time, except for what seemed like seconds when she was washing her body. She heard the sink; maybe he’d brushed his teeth. She’d avoided it since it happened earlier, first Johns was around and then dinner when Imam showed up. Then even when Johns went to check their radar and make sure things were going smooth Imam had stuck close by. Either he genuinely hadn’t been sure she could read, which she could, or he could feel the tension between her and Riddick. He hadn’t left until Riddick dragged her off to get ready for the night. Mostly dry Jack moved out of the shower stall, wrapped up in the towel, looking up at Riddick.

“You want to explain what the hell you thought you’d accomplish by rubbing up against me like that?” Riddick asked, demanded really, as he pulled off his goggles and dragged his eyes over her. It was hard not to, so he didn’t try and stop himself. It’s not like she gave him a dirty look for it, and it wasn’t like he was going to do what she’d done to him back.

“Do I really need to be naked right now?” Jack asked as she tried to slide past him. Naked was not how she wanted to have this conversation.

Grabbing her shoulders Riddick growled, “I can take the towel and then make you answer me, now what were you thinking?”

Jack gripped the towel to her harder, like it’d stop him, and looked at his chest instead of his face saying, “I don’t know Riddick… it seemed like the thing to do… you wouldn’t let up… I figured that would do it…” When she looked up at Riddick it was apparent that he wasn’t altogether pleased with her answer. “It’s true.” Jack insisted looking away from him altogether, and off to the side. “I wasn’t getting out of that hold, and you weren’t letting go. Well, you let go after I did that!”

Riddick watched her for a long moment as she stayed defiantly tense in his hands. That was the problem she wouldn’t give unless she was too exhausted to keep up the fight. When they sparred, or trained, she gave it her all until she didn’t have anything to give. She was an eager student, and he liked that, but she didn’t know when to give in. “Ever stop to think that maybe if you stopped fighting me I would’ve let go?” Riddick asked gruffly before roughly letting go of her and heading out of the bathroom. “Get dressed and get up to our bunk.”

Mouth still opened to retort Jack watched him walk out on her before snapping it closed with a huff. Storming over to the sinks Jack dropped her towel on the ground and pulled on the large tee that they’d scavenged from one of the girl’s rooms. Grumbling about arrogant men and how annoying they were Jack pulled on her underwear and then brushed her teeth deliberately slow. Riddick could wait on her.

ooo

“What took you so fucking long?” Riddick asked as he laid out on their bed in just a pair of boxers. In truth the kid had probably only screwed herself making him wait for her. It gave him plenty of time to think.

“Had to brush my teeth, then I wanted a drink,” Jack shrugged knowing she’d taken a full half hour to do those things before even moving to get to the room. “Tea takes time to make.” Really it took two minutes, but she didn’t care. Not after Riddick had acted the way he did.

Riddick didn’t budge, his arms stayed behind his head, his eyes remained closed in their perpetually dim room, his goggles already under the pillow with a shiv. All he did was say, “Just get in bed kid, we have a long day tomorrow.” He’d figured out what was going to have to happen. One crash course would get them on the right road, set them up for when they were alone. Jack would be a little sore both physically and mentally, but it would be for the best… Well it would be better for her sanity and his animal, because he might have looked calm but that thing inside him was ready to shove Jack down on the bed face first and… “Some time tonight Jack,” Riddick snapped, forcing his self to notice she wasn’t moving.

Jack took a sudden first step her body obeying the rough command instantly, before she stopped a second and then walked over cautiously, watching him carefully even as he stayed perfectly still and relaxed. When he didn’t grab for her she sat down, keeping her eyes on him as she asked, “What happened to your pants?”

“It bother you?” Riddick asked cracking an eye open to see where she was looking only to find her eyes connected with his. When she shook her head he shrugged and closed his eye saying, “I rather sleep this way, Imam stopped checking on us three days ago.”

“I’m sleeping on the outside?” Jack asked before she settled in. Riddick was in the middle of the bed, so she didn’t know where she belonged.

“Have you ever slept on the outside of the bed?” Riddick asked opening both eyes this time to look at her in a way that clearly said she should know better by now.

“No…” Jack huffed before climbing over him. She’d slept on top of him, practically under him, but he was always between her and the door. Letting him pull her against his side Jack asked, “What are we doing tomorrow that’s any different?”

“Something you’re probably not going to enjoy,” Riddick breathed as he turned over onto his side kissing the top of her head. He then added absently to the room, “Lights out.”

“It gonna hurt?” Jack asked relaxing against him. He was warm, his skin felt nice, and when they were in their bunk there was no training, no physical fighting, so there was no need to get worked up now.

“Only as much as you make it,” Riddick told her as she nuzzled him before moving onto her belly. Once she was settled he shifted so he had his arm over her curled it up so his hand cupped her head, and one of his legs made its home loosely between hers. Their faces were right in each other’s for a couple of moments before Jack squirmed closer and lower against him getting comfortable again. To him it seemed like she was securing herself more against, like he was an anchor or something. This was quickly becoming how they spent most of their sleeping hours, practically molded together, then in the morning a tangle of limbs. It seemed like they were constantly fighting some ongoing battle in their sleep to see who’d end up on top that night.

“It’s gonna hurt a lot, huh Riddick?” Jack asked into his neck.

“Probably,” Riddick hummed, not the least bit concerned, gently massaging the back of her head.

ooo

_Six days out from Hermes…_

The only thing he’d insisted to himself before dimming the lights and letting his instincts take over was _don’t fuck her_. As of right now, with that still in mind, they were on the right track. There was a little gym in the back of the cargo bay that they’d been using and Jack was currently huddled in a corner glaring at him. Imam had tried to come in, and she tried to let him in. It didn’t work for her, and Imam left food outside the door and yelled about coming out before dinner. Riddick dropped down into a crouch in front of her with a dark grin tugging at his lips he wasn’t all animal, but he wasn’t exactly trying for gentle. She wasn’t learning yet, but she’d get it. They’d eaten he shoved the empty plates outside, their little lunch break was over.

“I don’t want to do this anymore,” Jack growled at him, pressing back into the corner more. She was positive he wasn’t teaching her anything, they kept sparring, but he was better at it and bigger, and every time he pinned her he held her down taking every bit of her struggling for a while before pushing her away. This had been going on since they woke up to the morning cycle lights coming on.

“Too fucking bad kiddo,” Riddick insisted as he reached out and patted her cheek. He let her slap away his hand but his other hand shot down grabbing her wrist before she could snag one of his shivs. Clicking his tongue at her he stood up dragging her with him saying, “Now I haven’t shown you how to use one of those yet.”

“Pointy end goes in the other person,” Jack huffed as she pushed at the hand encasing her wrist with her free one, trying to pull away from him. When it didn’t work she pulled a little more and shifted a bit so she could get her leg up kicking him as hard as she could in the thigh as close to his junk as she dared to get. Riddick had forbidden her from kicking him there ever, so she had to be careful or she could see him locking her in their room with zero light for the duration. He faltered, jolting a little away from her at the hit, which gave Jack the chance to pull her hand away. Triumph swelled in her a little, that is, until he came at her faster than she could get back to her corner. Not that it mattered because he made sure she found it, painfully. He’d at some point turned her back to face him because instead of breaking her nose, or something, the back of her head bounced off the wall so hard she saw stars, instantly disoriented. Riddick’s face was in hers; his silver eyes seemed darker somehow, like the liquid metal color of his eyes was cooling, hardening. It made her give out a small whimper as she tried to sink down the wall.

Riddick growled lowly as he kept her standing, not a hard task since she weighed practically nothing to him. He pressed her shoulders back into the wall, but when that didn’t seem to get her to stand of her own free will he lifted her up, cradling an arm under her the other leaned on the wall above her head as he watched her intently. Jack pushed at his chest weakly and he snatched her wrists up pulling them above her head. She struggled in his hold, however weakly, and it caused a growl to bubble up from his chest, dark and low. When she didn’t stop Riddick dropped her abruptly, but before he could walk away Jack grabbed his pant leg breathing out as air returned to her lungs, “Sorry…”

He paused and looked down at her, asking roughly, “Why you sorry Pup?”

“I dunno…” Jack said hopelessly, holding onto his pant leg tighter.

Growling he yanked his leg from her grasp demanding, “Get up, you’re still not learning.”

Jack whined but she got up, only swayed a little, and pleaded, “Just tell me what the hell I’m supposed to learn…”

“Told you yesterday how to make me let you go Pup, you didn’t listen,” Riddick shrugged, waving her forward.

“Then just tell me!” Jack insisted as she rushed him, even though she was trying desperately to remember what he said. She tried to land a punch, and she failed miserably her mind completely somewhere else. Riddick’s punch landed on her side, but she kept trying even though her body felt like it was moving horribly slow. She landed a lucky, sloppy hit to his chest that hurt her hand more than it hurt him. He went to hit her head, even if it was a pulled blow, and open palmed she managed to block it, her hand coming up to save her head his hand clapping against the back of hers.

It was about then she remembered what he said to her in the bathroom…

_“Ever stop to think that maybe if you stopped fighting me I would’ve let go?”_

Jack whined, and dropped her arms, even though Riddick grabbed onto her, jerking her forward towards him. She tried to stay relaxed as he backed them up, back against the wall, but when her back hit the wall she shuddered. Jack wanted to pull away; it made her bite at her lower lip being so completely cornered when she wasn’t sure she had it right. Her head swam a little as her adrenaline started wearing all the way down; she just barely managed to say, “I don’t want to fight anymore…”

“Too bad,” Riddick goaded her, trying to get her to fight him more.

Jack shook her head even though it seemed to make the pounding in her head worse and the room spin out for a moment, her body quaking. For an agonizing second she thought he wasn’t going to stop but then he picked her up and sat down with her. Without the rush everything seemed to hit her at once and everything hurt and made her feel weak. He sat facing the corner his knees touching the two walls making said corner, effectively caging Jack as she sat in his lap facing him. She didn’t know what to do, and instead just slumped forward against him with a soft uncomfortable noise. Riddick’s fingers played up and down her back, lingering here and there against her, and then while one of his hand held her lower back the other drifted up under her shirt running along her spine.

Riddick heard her breath hitch as he paid special attention to her spine under her shirt, but he didn’t stop. It only took a second more before she shuddered and pushed back away from him, however the only place she had to go was back further into the corner. Jack tried to get up, and get away from him but his hands gripped her legs keeping her sitting, though she managed to slide off his lap wedging herself in the corner. “Shh, relax Jack. Come ‘ere,” Riddick murmured coaxingly. That was something to be worked on, but maybe not this second. For now, he wanted her to relax with him. “Trust me, kiddo.” She faltered for a moment looking torn before she moved back onto his lap all the way, with a little help. He kept his hand firm but gentle as he moved it up and down her back, the other arm wrapped around her waist. A low content rumble centered in his chest as Riddick settled his chin on top of her head. Frowning a little he let his hand drift up to the back of her head gently checking for a bump. When he found one he kissed the top of her head before he went back to rubbing her back, asking, “Pup, you okay?”

“Tired…” Jack breathed her hands clutched in his torn, but clean, tank.

“I know,” Riddick hummed as she seemed to relax further in his arms. “Stay with me though,” Riddick told her gently but not concerned.

“My head hurts… and… the rest of me’s sore…” Jack mumbled. They’d been going at it for hours, and she was hideously aware that she was thirteen and little, and Riddick was… not… “How old are you?”

Riddick shrugged lightly so he didn’t jostle her and thought about it for a moment. “About twenty-eight, give or take, with cryo deducted, hell Johns probably knows how old I really am better than I do,” Riddick took the time to explain to keep her awake and listening to him. “Why?”

“Wanted to know…” Jack shrugged a little before she shifted around a little before asking, “Can I face the other way?”

Riddick nodded helping her around and scooting back a little. Jack laid back against his chest her legs bent lightly at the knee over his. Leaning down over her a bit he nuzzled her temple crossing his arms over her chest holding her back against him tightly. That thing inside him wanted her as close as possible though it backed off now that the lesson was starting to seep in, and he grinned as he held her. He kissed the spot just next to her eye when she closed them, before telling her, “We’re going to get up soon Pup, and clean up.”

“But…Riddick,” Jack yawned, turning her face towards him even though she didn’t open her eyes. He didn’t say anything though; he just pressed his lips to her forehead, and then as she started drifting out something wet touched her cheek.

ooo

“Oh he’s not hurting her Imam,” Johns insisted as he followed the dark skinned holy man to the bathrooms where Riddick had taken Jack a while ago. “Riddick likes the kid; he protected her the whole way through that hell, and kept her warm on the skiff. I doubt he’d do something to really hurt her. I mean sure you get hurt learning to fight, but that’s helping her in the long run, and Jack kno…”

“Merciful Allah!” Imam practically shrieked.

“Scream one more time holy man,” Riddick dared as he pulled Jack back in front of him rubbing a towel over her head careful of the bump he had caused. Kid needed to cut her hair a little or start putting it back.

“They’re not even naked,” Johns said taking in the scene in front of him. Jack was in some underwear and one of her shirts, but she wasn’t naked. Riddick had lost his shirt it seemed, but Johns wasn’t connecting any of the dots that Imam seemed to see.

“You’re still watching her bathe aren’t you?!” Imam demanded. “I thought we discussed that it was grooming poor habits in her.”

“Did we?” Riddick asked, even though he knew the answer, as he threw the towel into the pile of clothes next to them.

“You were set-ting up a meet with your contacts on Hermes,” Jack explained through a yawn as she looked up at him through sleep heavy eyes wishing the others would let him dim the lights throughout the ship because she didn’t care to see herself while she was talking to him. “You grunted a lot… He must have thought th-that meant you were paying attention...”

“Thought he was telling me you didn’t groom yourself right,” Riddick lied as he watched Jack move sluggishly over to the counter to grab her pants and pull them on.

“You watch her bathe?” Johns asked catching back up with that, that he could see as being something wrong. None of them should be watching the kid take a shower.

“She takes long as fuck showers, Imam caught me hurrying her up one night,” Riddick explained it away as Jack came back and leaned into him. Yes he watched her through a curtain a few times, it’s not like he was taking showers with the kid. “You ever tell me to cut it out Jack? You ever need to?”

Jack shook her head saying, “Riddick isn’t doing anything to me.” She had someone watch her shower… like they thought Riddick was watching her. Riddick was not watching her like that, and that’s when he even did. He’d watched four times during the almost two months they’d been on the ship together. Once had been last night, the first time was after she’d had a particularly bad nightmare, the second time, when Imam had caught him, was after their first spar, the last time had been right now…. But… maybe she had something to ask him, when they were alone again, when her head stopped hurting, because while she felt a little less sore her head was still in pain.

Riddick rubbed Jack’s back looking at the others, Imam was still staring at him with disapproval, but Johns seemed more placated by Jack saying what she did. She was starting to lean into him more, and he wanted to get her some place to rest. He could feel his beast prowling under his skin and knew exactly what it wanted, and knew where to get it too.

“I’m tired…” Jack complained reaching up wanting to be held, and wanting to get away from the others.

Pulling her up into his arms he asked the two, “Anything else I can do for you?” Though, he barely paused as he walked out passed them. He left them there and walked down the winding hall to the door that led into the engine room. He shifted Jack around onto his hip, with little hassle, and opened the door. Once inside they were assaulted with the constant humming and whirling of the engine turning and working. He kicked the door shut behind him as he carried Jack over to a little nook, it was supposed to be for any crew in here that needed to strap in during landing, but the former mechanic had filled it with pillows and fitted it with a mesh curtain that snapped down so the pillows didn’t fly around when things got bumpy. It was where Jack normally sat when he was in here fixing up the engine. It wasn’t that bad off, the engine, but it was old, and more upkeep and tweaking was needed, probably why their mechanic had made a comfortable spot in here in case it needed to be watched over. For now it would serve his purpose.

Setting Jack down he pulled the curtain over letting her crawl inside before he pushed inside himself. They squirmed around and he sat across the length of it, since it didn’t go into the wall deep enough for him to face out into the engine room. When he was settled Jack crawled onto his lap, laying into him with a tired little pant, as if that had been the most work she’d done all day. It kind of concerned him, and he pulled her up a little so her head sat under his chin as he pushed and pulled some pillows so they supported his back and sat behind his head. “Do I need to take you to the med bay?” Riddick asked as she nuzzled closer to him.

“No, I’m just tired… we fought for a long time…” Jack sighed. They were alone now. She could ask… even though her head still hurt. “Riddick, why do you watch me shower… isn’t that like provoking yourself?”

Her voice was soft, questioning, not accusing him of anything. Riddick pressed his lips to her hair asking, “You ran with street kids, you changed in front of each other, did everything in front of each other, right?”

Jack nodded carefully, “Yeah, it was safer that way.”

“Ever watch them while someone was else was the look out, just to watch them?” Riddick asked into her hair.

“Yeah,” Jack yawned, “I guess so.”

“It’s like that,” Riddick offered simply, because it was. He watched her merely to watch, and because she was his to watch. Sometimes he wanted to watch more than others; sometimes the need struck him to hold her, affection was new to him. Not new so much as doing something again for the first time in a long time. Sometimes the feelings were fleeting other times he needed to act on them. A soft hum was the only reply he got as she started to doze off, and he brushed his fingers softly through her hair.

ooo

_Five days out from Hermes…_

“What did you do to her?!” Riddick roared as he grabbed the front of the shirt the holy man was wearing instead of his robes that day. “What did you say to her?!”

“I merely asked if staying with you was what she thought was best,” Imam said a frown etched on his features.

“No, you didn’t _merely_ ask her shit! You told her I’d hurt her didn’t you?!” Riddick demanded slamming the man into the wall next to them. “Or told her I’d leave her to die, what did you say?! Answer me!”

“Riddick,” Johns said waving an arm lazily to get the man’s attention, “He can’t answer you if he can’t breathe.” There was a certain sort of haze when he was high that just made everything matter less. Riddick had found him first, but had turned on the holy man the second it became apparent he hadn’t probably been capable of sending Jack into hiding. He was right at the beginning of his high where he was feeling really good.

Riddick paused, taking note that he had, at sometime in the last few seconds, started to strangle the man and eased up grabbing his shoulders instead. Once Imam caught his breath Riddick demanded, “Tell me what you said to her.”

“I asked if she had a choice, and if you were really what was best for her if you weren’t giving her one!” Imam insisted before Riddick could strangle him again. “I asked about what would happen if she got hurt or lost. I asked if you’d go back for her. I asked if you really cared about her.”

Riddick’s fingers twitched, he thought about killing the man in his hold, because there was no way a couple of questions scared his pup away from him instead of to him. However instead of strangling Imam he punched him in the gut leaving him coughing on the floor. Some of his pent up rage dispelled he walked towards the security room. He’d just have to find the kid that way; too much of her sent was lingering in too many places, especially with all the recycled air. Walking into the room Riddick glanced over the different screens taking them in quickly, he could see Johns and Imam where he’d left them. Johns’ form was shaking and Riddick could only assume he was laughing, because he probably wouldn’t be standing if it was a seizure. All the other screens were clear though.

He’d checked all the rooms and all the cabinets in the kitchen when he thought they had been play, so that only left any hidey-holes the ship had and the air ducts. He tapped a few buttons, better with computers then he’d originally told the captain, and set the tapes on rewind. He stopped them when he found Jack in a hallway, clearly upset even on the tape, but she disappeared in a blind spot somewhere between the cargo bay and the bathrooms.

There were two vents in that hallway, which meant Jack could be anywhere, in the ship…

He’d worked so fucking hard yesterday to get her to stop fighting him, to let him have all the control, and then Imam goes and ruins it all in a matter of moments. The one time the kid doesn’t sit in the engine room with him, and now he has to devise a plan to find her on a ship that’s only security was currently in front of him. A couple of camera’s, enough for smugglers, not enough for what he needed… He put the cameras back to real time and watched to screens for a while as he thought. Eventually she’d have to come out for something, but it didn’t sit well with him to let her just brood somewhere and possibly get more and more afraid.

Casting his eyes around the room Riddick caught the radio that tapped into the intercom on the ship. Picking it up he rolled it around in his hands before pressing the button saying firmly, “Jack, you’re being fucking stupid. Come out from wherever you are, and we’ll settle this. If not I’ll find you Pup… Jack… I always will.” Setting the radio down he watched the screens, it took a few prolonged minutes but Jack came out of the blind spot she went in, but she must have heard Imam and Johns around the corner because she went right back. With a light growl Riddick walked out of the small room, and headed for where Jack was hopefully standing. Imam pressed himself up against the wall when he passed, and Johns merely started for his room. When he turned the corner he found Jack at the end of the hall, her eyes puffy from tears her clothes a little dirty from crawling through the vents. Riddick moved in front of her before he faltered unsure what needed to be done or said. Annoyed at himself, more than her, he grabbed for her but she darted away from his hand, and did the worst thing she could have. She ran from him.

ooo

“Please stop,” Jack whined pushing at Riddick’s shoulders as he held her against the wall in the almost completely dark gym. “Please let me go…”

Riddick growled, pushing up against her more, keeping her where he wanted her. Jack squirmed trying to crawl higher on him, but he stopped her keeping his hips pressed between her legs. They were fully clothed, but he wanted them close. That close. If she was afraid of him putting his dick in her she’d need to get over it, especially when he had no intention of fucking her. “What did he say Jack?” Riddick asked his voice rough against her cheek. “Did he say I’d hurt you?” She shook her head but he couldn’t tell if that was just her wanting him to let go. “Come on Pup, tell me what happened.” She shook her head again and Riddick shoved his forehead against her temple demanding, “Tell me why you ran from me.” She wouldn’t open her eyes though.

He was overwhelming her. This wasn’t like him sleeping on her, it was like realizing for the first time he was dangerous. Of course she knew, but right now she could feel it. Every inch of hard sculpted muscle, how rough he could be when he wanted to. Jack pushed against him, before trying a different route. She slackened in his hold; he didn’t get his face out of hers but he gripped her side a bit instead of just smashing her into the wall.

“Tell me,” Riddick growled against her cheek. “You’re thirteen, you’re not a child, now talk.”

“He… he said…” Jack stammered, not wanting to talk about this. “He said that… basically he said if things got tough you’d leave me behind. He said I should go to New Mecca with him so you wouldn’t leave me. He said that bad things didn’t happen to the kids on New Mecca. Th-then he said things would be harder for you if you had me, that if you didn’t leave me it’d be my fault you got caught! I don’t want it to be my fault Riddick.”

Riddick understood immediately. When saying that he’d leave her behind didn’t work, he told her that it’d be her fault he got caught. “If I got caught it wouldn’t be on you baby,” Riddick snorted against her jaw.

“But…”

“I escaped from where?” Riddick asked moving so his face was on the other side of her kissing her other cheek, then switching and kissing her other temple as she tried to turn from him.

“Ursa Luna, Butchers Bay, Hubble Bay, Tangiers…” Jack listed off the ones she could remember, not seeing where this was going.

“To get to those places I had to be caught Pup,” Riddick chuckled as he rubbed his cheek against hers.

ooo

_Four Days out from Hermes..._

Riddick frowned as Jack poked at her food moving the macaroni and cheese around her plate next to a sandwich she just blatantly hadn’t touched. Normally the kid ate like she was a black whole, but now she looked like she wasn’t hungry. The thing about Jack though, was that she was always hungry. She’d put on some weight, in the healthy sense of the word, he realized as he looked at her now, she no longer looked starved and like she’d just break. He’d been right, her baby face was undeniably girl when she was fed right, and until now she seemed determined to eat well. So, Riddick was concerned that she didn’t seem to want to eat one of the three meals she was allowed, especially when they were supposed to spar later.

This had to be some backlash from yesterday…

“You just gonna stare at it Jack?” Johns asked as he tore a piece off the sandwich he had and popped it in his mouth. Things hadn’t been right last night at dinner either, and things seemed to be continuing the same way today at lunch. Now that he thought about it he was pretty sure Jack hadn’t eaten that much at breakfast either.

“I’m not hungry…” Jack breathed as she put down her fork.

Johns and Riddick shared a look; Johns spared Imam a glance to find the holy man looking at Jack. After a second he asked, “You sick or something kiddo?”

“I don’t know, but I’m going to go lay down…” Jack shrugged as she stood from her seat pushing her plate towards Riddick in case he wanted more to eat.

Riddick watched her go before glaring to Imam. “You did this,” He growled as he reached over his plate to grab the sandwich off of Jack’s, not caring when Johns pulled the plate over to get at the macaroni. The man didn’t say anything though and Riddick finished off the kid’s sandwich in a few bites before going after her, because if she went into hiding again he was going to show her just how much he intended to keep her.

ooo

“Maybe she just needs some time,” Johns offered as he watched Riddick sit in the security room waiting for Jack to show back up on one of the monitors. “She’s a kid, a kid who’s been alone or with other kids. Now she’s trapped on a ship with three grown men, two of which are pretty much fighting over her.” He didn’t know how he ended up the voice of reason, for Riddick of all people, but here he was.

Not that he was doing that great of a job at it…

“If she needs time, she needs to hide in the bathroom like normal girls,” Riddick growled. He’d been in a foster home once when he was just young enough to remember with both boys and girls, and damn if there was ever a problem he had to piss outside, because the girls for some reason he still couldn’t understand hid in the bathroom. Only he supposed that wasn’t really hiding, more like barricading their problems on the other side of a door, but damn it that could have worked for Jack.

“The bathroom doesn’t have a door…?” Johns asked more than pointed out and when he got a snort in return he shook his head. “Look Riddick, Jack is thirteen, she’s a child, maybe she needs time to grow up.”

“She’s not going with Imam, and she sure as fuck isn’t going with you,” Riddick insisted darkly as he cast a glance over his shoulder at Johns.

“You could threaten her more, obviously it’s working,” Johns retorted as he turned and left Riddick alone.

ooo

He’d relocated maybe an hour ago, leaning in one of the shower stalls waiting her out. Eventually the kid would have to go, and maybe she’d think it safe in here as this was another area that was conveniently not under surveillance. He heard her in the vent before her scent became distinct. She’d come out below the sinks and assuming she didn’t walk down to the last bathroom stall she wouldn’t see him. Riddick listened to the grating over the vent rattle before being set on the floor and then her hurried footsteps as she ran into the first stall.

Moving quickly and quietly Riddick sat against the counter in front of her probably planned escape root back into the ventilation. She was lucky he didn’t burn the shit out of her. When she came out she jolted, back away from him further into the bathroom.

“Riddick I-!....” She didn’t know what to say, because she got the feeling any excuse she gave would end in him being pissed.

“What’s this about Jack?” Riddick’s question came out in a near-vicious growl as he stalked after her. “Tell me now, and I might not punish you for this.”

“You should just ditch me on Hermes…” Jack breathed as her back hit the wall.

“You have one more chance Jack, then you’re going back up against the wall until we really settle this,” Riddick insisted stopping about a foot away from her.

Jack looked at the ground between them trying to think of what to say, what she could do. She knew why she was doing this, but he wasn’t going to listen to her. “I don’t want… I don’t… You’re going to get sick of me! Or-or I’m going to do something stupid and it’ll be my fault if you get hurt or caught! If you leave me behind someone else will snatch me up! He said you might be good to me, but that someone could pick me up after you and I might not be so lucky. If you ditch me on Hermes it’ll be like this never happened, but if you take me with you and leave me it’ll be my fault!”

She’d barely finished talking when she found herself up against the wall, much like she’d been yesterday. This time as she pushed at him though he didn’t give at all he crushed against her, but what really startled her was that his mouth closed over where her neck met her shoulder. She tried to push at him but a deep, dark, rumbling growl stilled her. Once she stopped though her hands tightened in his shirt and she tensed. Jack didn’t understand why but it kind of felt like he was sucking and biting at her skin and… a gasp left her because it didn’t feel _bad_. Squirming Jack tried to tell him to stop but he just lifted her up more his tongue salving the increasingly sensitive spot before he returned to sucking and nipping. “Y-you’re gonna leave a mark, Riddick…”

All she got for her trouble was a chuckle that rumbled against her neck sending an ache right between her legs, right where Riddick was pressing against her again. Jack whimpered and shoved at him, but he didn’t move away, just grinded his hips with hers. It felt really good but…

“I’m not hurting you Pup,” Riddick mumbled leaving her neck for a second to lick her cheek, and when he did she stopped trying to push him away and started pulling him forward.

ooo

_Three days out from Hermes..._

Riddick pressed his lips to Jack’s forehead as she slept in. He was propped up on his forearm on his side as he looked down at her, and his free hand traced over the hickie he left yesterday. It made him sit there with a shit eating grin spread across his lips as he remembered it. Even if he had to pry himself off the kid before it went too far her reaction had been priceless.

“Were you trying to maul me?!” Jack asked as she practically crawled onto the counter to look in the mirror at herself.

_“No!” Riddick laughed, full out belly laughed. When she glared at him accusingly pointing at her neck as if that was all the proof she needed he grinned smugly, telling her bluntly, “That was me marking you as mine. You want to keep questioning me, and telling me to leave you behind; I’ll keep leaving marks until it sinks in.”_

_“There’s only so much room on my neck…” Jack insisted as if that would stop him._

_Her naivety made him nearly groan but he kept himself in check and made himself shake his head as he told her, “You got plenty of skin I can leave marks on, chest, belly, back… thighs…” Start at the top and work his way down…_

She’d gone all quiet on him, and when the blushing died down, but she still wasn’t really with him he figured out she was thinking about what the mark meant. She’d gotten this little grin on her lips after, gave him that adoring look he liked so much and proceeded to hang onto his arm as they walked to the kitchen and he made her some dinner. Kid wolfed it down like she hadn’t seen food in days. Now his fingers trailed down over her side and then up to her stomach, it was still flat the swell of her breasts was small, but he figured it was about right for her age. He didn’t know a whole lot about thirteen year old girls. As his eyes flicked down her bare legs he noted that he certainly didn’t know that thirteen year olds could be so leggy.

He did know he was going to get chewed out for leaving a mark on said thirteen year old. No one had come near them after he caught Jack, but he could see the bitching in his future. At least no one had caught them while he was busy making the mark on her, or when he had to stop himself from making more when Jack started rubbing against him making those noises. At least she stopped thinking, at least for right then, that he was going to hurt her like that.

After a while of just Riddick just sitting there, Jack made a little noise in the back of her throat and squirmed around onto her stomach, trying to burrow under him. It made Riddick grin at her before patting her back a little, coaxing her to the waking world. It took a few seconds but Jack grumbled and sat up on her knees pushing her fingers through her hair.

“I’m thinking we get you a haircut,” Riddick suggested as she moved around so she was on her butt.

“I need this hair so Imam doesn’t have a hissy-fit about you trying to eat me,” Jack mumbled with a tired smile as she pushed her hair forward and adjusted the shirt she was in.

She was right, if he didn’t know exactly where it was he probably wouldn’t notice it. He ignored the hint of anger he felt at her wanting to cover the mark up, but it would certainly stop the others from complaining. He had just been making a point anyway, but still he made the excuse, “If you hide it the both of them are just going to think we’re hiding it because we did something wrong.”

“Was doing that wrong?” Jack asked looking at him a little more awake a serious, thoughtful, frown touching her lips.

Riddick shrugged a little, “I suppose Imam’s got his reasons for bitching.” Reaching out he pushed her hair out of the way of bruise like mark, noticing two point that more or less seemed to be where his canines pressed into her skin the most. “You feel like I’m taking advantage of you?”

“You kind of own my ass Riddick,” Jack snorted as she leaned forward bumping her forehead with his.

Grinning Riddick sat up ruffling her hair. “Doesn’t change anything,” He told her as he let her crawl into his lap, “Feel like I’m breaking our deal?”

“Nah, if you weren’t trying anymore you wouldn’t have stopped yesterday,” Jack shrugged as she traced a faint scar on his chest. She didn’t want to make a big deal out of any of this, because he wasn’t making a big deal out of it. Jack was telling the truth about how she felt, but she didn’t mention she’d kind of like to do that again.

“Then I wouldn’t worry about it,” Riddick offered as he brushed his fingers through her hair. “So you want me to cut your hair or not?”

“I’m getting sick of it,” Jack nodded as she pulled at one of the pieces in the front. Best thing about short hair was you didn’t have to brush it that much, and planet side you didn’t have to worry about lice, or the like, as much. She’d say she could pretend to be a boy, but Riddick seemed against the idea. Something struck her though and she eyed him suspiciously, “You’re gonna use scissors right?”

Chuckling a little Riddick helped her off his lap and onto the ground saying, “Yeah, unless you want me to shave it off, then I’ll use a shiv.”

“Scissors please!”

ooo

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen a holy man so mad Riddick, I think he was really close to doing something very uncivilized to you,” Johns chuckled as he watched Jack sit obediently still on a chair from the mess in the middle of the bathroom while Riddick cut her hair. He wasn’t doing some amazing job, and Johns was pretty sure, positive really, the back was shorter than the front, but it was interesting to see him do something so domestic. The hickie which he probably should have just let Imam believe was a regular bruise, plainly visible. In a way it concerned him, but nothing seemed to change between them, and if he wanted his cut from selling off the ship and everything in it he doubted he should be too outwardly critical of Riddick’s choices with the kid.

Riddick snorted a bit before walking around to stand in front of Jack asking, “Like that kid?”

Jack bounded from her seat to look in the mirror at herself brushing her fingers through her hair. A grin tilted up on her lips, and she looked at him in the mirror saying, “Yeah! You got it right Riddick.” Looking over her shoulder at him she gave him a toothy smile, “Just like I asked.”

“What did I say?” Riddick growled, though there was a hint of affection in it, as he walked over and dropped the scissors on the counter.

“I gotta clean it up, and if I make a big deal out of it you’ll never cut my hair again,” Jack said even as she turned back to the mirror playing with her hair some more. She asked Riddick to cut her hair short in the back and long in the front. She’d seen a woman with her hair this way once, and figured since she had the chance she might as well run with it. After all now she didn’t have to be a boy, and girls could cut their hair pretty much any way they wanted, and no one really looked at them weird. Some pieces were a little choppy, but hell Riddick did better than she had, so Jack had no complaints. “What do you think Johns?” Jack asked looking over at him with a wide smile.

“It’s not bad baby girl,” Johns grinned back at her. 

Riddick pushed his fingers up over the back of Jacks hair, liking the short hair in the back as he listened to Jack and Johns begin to bicker about her hair. Jack was insisting she asked him to make her hair like this and Johns was telling her she didn’t have to protect him.

“…He’s a big boy Jack,” Johns laughed just before Jack launched after him.

Sighing Riddick glared after the two, and followed after them, only to find Johns holding Jack upside down her legs hooked over his shoulder. Jack grinned at him saying, “So… I’m not even sure how this happened, let alone how to get down.”

“What kind of teacher are you man?” Johns chuckled as he started walking off with her to the gym.

“Johns says that if you promise not to stab him I can watch you two spar!” Jack insisted as she curled up a bit catching Riddick walking behind Johns. “We’ve been on this ship for almost two months and you two haven’t sparred together once.”

Riddick snorted as Jack had to uncurl, saying, “Fine I won’t stab him, but you’re still learning something today.”

ooo

_Two days out from Hermes..._

“You really like Jack don’t you?” Johns asked as he watched Jack sleep curled up in Riddick’s lap in the co-pilots seat. It had largely been an uneventful day the day cycle for ship already finished, things just getting duller the closer they got to their destination, especially now that Imam wouldn’t even look at the pair in the flight deck with him. Far off in the distance they could see a speck that Riddick assured them was Hermes, it hung out on the horizon. It was the last planet on the system, thankfully it was facing them, or they’d be going through an entire system in order to get to Riddick’s contacts. They’d be there early the day after tomorrow, and they could all get out and stand on land for a while.

Riddick looked at the girl he held from behind his goggles, his fingers lightly stroking circles on her stomach and said, “I’m keeping her ain’t I?”

Johns could see his point, nodded a little. “I think I’m going to take Imam to New Mecca. He wants shorter hops this time, taking the scenic root there’s a system between here and Helios I figure it’d take about two or three months depending on how long he wants to stay on each planet.”

“He paying?” Riddick asked as he looked out into space still working out where he wanted to head. His fingers started tracing paths to different worlds on her belly now, her navel serving as a marker for Hermes.

“Yeah, he’s gonna pay for my transport, the two cryo trips between systems, on well-traveled routes, and food on the way out there, plus a little sum on the end. Then I figure I’ll get back to real work out there.” Johns explained as he idly tapped the com screen. Looking through news reals from the time they left until now. “We’ve all been presumed dead, but they’re going to search the planet when the eclipse ends to find the bodies… if there are any.”

“Anything on who was on the ship?” Riddick asked turning his head to look at Johns.

“The pilot died when debris from the tail of the rogue comet we went through pierced his cryotube. Carolyn Fry… She was the docking pilot who purged us. She’s under investigation, to see if there was nothing else she could have done should wrap up sometime this month. It’s looking like she followed procedure though. The co-pilot tried to stop her but wasn’t fast enough to edge the doors open… Imam’s acolytes were from wealthy families, Imam is a Chrislam representative on New Mecca. A few people we didn’t know. Paris was a well-known trader looking to set up in New Mecca next. Shazza and Zeke are mentioned, they had families, but they were just settlers… oh this is good,” Johns said a grin taking his face as he pointed to Jack, “A Jack B. Badd was found on the registry, and is believed to be a street kid who stole and sold a family heirloom from a government official touring the slums to get on the ship with the aid of a system local slaver. Oh and then right here at the very bottom is me and you. You’re considered to be armed and dangerous, if significant evidence of your death isn’t turned up.”

“So I’m either dead or armed and dangerous?” Riddick chuckled letting Jack shift around in his hold, his thumb swiping over her side now, “That’s just great.”

“I figure after you sell the ship give me and … right Imam doesn’t want a cut, when we split the cut me and Imam will head to the nearest police station and tell them how we survived and you were eaten by creatures trying to save the kid while we were running for the skiff with the cells, died at the same time as Paris.” Johns worked out aloud. After all he and the holy man were going to be the ones telling the story, Riddick just needed to stay dead.

“Whatever helps you two sleep at night,” Riddick grinned before looking down at Jack as she sat up grumbling, pushing at his chest to get up.

When he went to question her though she shoved her hand over his mouth saying, “I gotta go, and don’t you dare ask where…” Then she added crankily “Yer both loud!”

Letting out an amused breath he let Jack up watching her wander off, actually turning into Johns’ room to use his bathroom. Looking over to the merc Riddick frowned when he saw the smug look he was getting, “I can still shiv you.”

“Oh I know, but if I ever come for you again, I’m sorry to say it, but Jack makes good bait, and I know just how much she means to you,” Johns said, his jaw setting a bit. After a second though he shrugged, “Maybe I’ll join the force on New Mecca… God knows I’m sick of ghost lanes, and giant merc ships.”

“Probably sick of me too,” Riddick mused as he looked back out at the stars, pushing his goggles down around his neck, since the flight deck wasn’t that bright, and he could tolerate what light there was.

“Damn right I’m sick of you too,” Johns huffed looking through some other news articles.

After a couple of moments Jack wandered back in, crawling right back on Riddick’s lap insisting to him, “Also giving me a hickie did not magically insert a baby in my stomach, so I don’t know why you’re petting me there.”

Johns snorted the urge to laugh hit him so fast.

“Don’t know why you’re laughing Johns, I’ve been closer to getting some then you have since this little field trip began back at Butchers Bay,” Riddick insisted, a smirk turning up one side of his lips as Jack squirmed around so she was sitting with her back to his chest, slumped down as he wrapped his arms around her stomach. Looking back in front of him, his silver eyes glinting, Riddick added knowingly, “And don’t give me that look I know you’ve been inside The Doll House on Lupus 5.”

“My Uncle once threatened to fly us all the way out there just to sell me,” Jack mumbled.

“ _Jack_ ,” Johns complained.

“It’s true.” Jack shrugged.

“I don’t want to think about that,” Johns protested. 

“Well maybe you shouldn’t have been looking for jailbait tail in a teen whorehouse,” Riddick jeered at him.

“Yeah well one of the girls had interesting things to say about you,” Johns snarked.

“How old was she?!” Jack asked smacking Riddick’s arm even as he growled at her, or Johns she wasn’t sure.

“Couldn’t have been any older than sixteen,” Johns insisted glaring at Riddick. Try and make him look like the only man in the verse who liked em’ young.

“Oh,” Jack huffed flopping back against Riddick. “Guess it could’ve been worse…”

“Did you not hear me?” Johns asked.

“And how old was the girl you had entertain you?” Riddick sneered.

“I think I want to go to bed,” Jack snapped. “We only have one more day after this; I’d like us all to still be alive!” Tearing herself away from Riddick she insisted, “I’m not going to watch you two bitch at each other because apparently teenagers shouldn’t be having sex openly, and so you two have to pay for ass in a sleazy circus themed whorehouse.”

Riddick sat their long enough to let that sink in. Just before he stood up Johns muttered, “I hate when she talks like that, she’s too young to talk like that.”

“Did that fourteen year old find it a daunting task to bed you?” Riddick asked as he stood up, “The one in the white and pink cat suit.” When Johns shook his head Riddick shrugged saying, “That could have been Jack, or she could have been one of the trainees serving drinks in a leotard… I think she’s plenty old enough to talk just like that.”

ooo

Sighing Riddick laid down on the bed behind Jack as she huddled against the wall. When she didn’t turn into him, or press back up against him he asked, “We okay?”

“Johns still alive?” Jack asked the wall.

“I left him complaining about never being able to go to The Doll House again,” Riddick shrugged.

“I guess we’re okay,” Jack mumbled.

“Nah we’re not, what’s bugging you?” Riddick asked as he turned onto his side pushing his goggles under the pillow as he watched the back of Jack’s neck.

“Was she pretty?” Jack asked. Sure Jack knew Riddick wasn’t celibate, and that there were a few developmental differences between thirteen and sixteen, and that she wasn’t sure she even wanted to have sex, but _still_.

“I guess so?” Riddick shrugged; honestly he didn’t perfectly remember the girl’s face to begin with. He’d been in The Doll House maybe twice, probably had the same girl, or at least they were both wearing some skimpy ring master uniform. Shifting closer to her Riddick pressed up against her back, moving so he could press his lips against the back of her neck, saying “We both know I’ve had sex before Jack, they were just people I came across. I used them; sometimes they used me, just two people getting off.” When he got a little huff he couldn’t help but grin. “Jack, don’t be jealous of some girl I was using to get off.”

“I’m not jealous!” Jack insisted, trying to make her voice sound like he was scandalizing her, even though she was kind of jealous. The chuckle that came from behind her tickled against her neck making her squirm, and glare at the wall in front of her at the same time.

“Of course not kiddo,” Riddick humored her as he snaked his arms around her. “Besides, you don’t wanna do it yet, so don’t worry on it.”

“But…”

“Jack you’re thirteen,” Riddick cut her off. “You don’t need to be fucking yet, thirteen is young.” Especially when you considered everything that had happen to her so far. He hadn’t thought about it before now, and he hadn’t thought to ask, but he hoped that in supplying for her street family Jack had never had to do anything she didn’t really want to. He’d seen more than one girl (and even guys) giving head to a sleaze-ball night clerk, and at the front desk no less…

Before he could make himself ask though Jack mumbled, “I want off this ship… it’s driving me up the wall.”

“Beaulieu is only three months out from Hermes…” Riddick thought aloud as their destination suddenly hit him. It’d been a long time since he’d been to Beaulieu. It was a small out of the way system, only traveled to by people who didn’t have a choice or were going to the Alpha or Beta planets for vacation. They however would be heading for the third planet on the other side of the sun.

“Beaulieu Alpha?” Jack asked hopefully, dreading where they were probably actually headed.

“Omega… Jack _really_?” Riddick asked as he lifted up to look at her face.

“Beaulieu Omega is known for four things, mining, slavery, casino’s, and gangs…” Jack complained as she moved onto her back to look up at Riddick. “At least Beaulieu Alpha is pretty.”

“It’s a tourist trap, and for that matter so is Beaulieu Beta,” Riddick insisted.

“I didn’t really think we were going to Beaulieu Alpha… but really… there’s nowhere else?” Jack asked as Riddick settled back down his head on her shoulder.

“We could go to Tangiers, I can get in and out of the colony no problem, it’s only four months out,” Riddick suggested his eyes closed, as he fought off the grin that took his lips for a moment when she claimed that Beaulieu was great. “Lights Out.” Apparently Jack had never heard of the spiced noodles on the penal colony.

ooo

_One day out from Hermes..._

Every single one of them was starting to get twitchy. One more day. Riddick doubted anyone was sleeping tonight and he was about to tie Jack down if she didn’t quit bouncing around the engine room while he was trying to make sure they wouldn’t be making a crash landing. He couldn’t really blame her; she wanted this trip to be over, and more than that she was now just waiting for another trip to take her some place she didn’t want to go. She wanted to get it over with, and he could understand that.

Except that now was not the time for her to pounce him, but wouldn’t you know she did anyway…

The low threatening growl tipped her off that she’d done something incredibly stupid. Him tensing under her made her run, but because nothing really good had ever come of her running from Riddick, she retreated to the pillow filled cubby, holding one to her chest. Riddick stalked up to the nook and looked her over in a way that made her shiver since he wasn’t wearing his goggles. For a second she wasn’t sure what was going to happen, but he seemed to pause before he secured the mesh curtain in place saying, “Jack, just stay here when I’m done we’ll spar.”

Normally she would have told him he was treating her like a child, but she didn’t exactly want to push her luck right now… After all they’d be getting a ship and then going into cryo. It probably wouldn’t be a good idea to end on a fight.

ooo

“I know I’ve been forbidden to speak of this, but Jack are you sure you don’t want to come to New Mecca?” Imam asked as they all sat down for dinner.

“I’m sure,” Jack insisted in-between bites of the chicken and dumplings on her plate… or the chicken tasting protein and the doughy things she assumed were dumplings. It was some kind of stew like thing Jack had never had before and as it was their last night on the ship she decided she might as well try it before she missed her chance. Really it wasn’t that bad, just tasted like chicken and bread. “I’m going with Riddick.”

“Because you owe him?” Imam asked carefully even as Riddick stopped eating and Johns sighed before eating another dumpling drenched in sauce. 

“Because I want to,” Jack told him as she looked over at the man. “Go to New Mecca, do your job, get married if you want to, forget about me and Riddick.”

“We’ve talked about this Imam, we’re going to tell everyone they’re dead,” Johns said as if he’d repeated this a lot lately, and really he had. “Once we sell the ship we’ll go to the nearest police station, tell them we were the only two survivors. Riddick and Jack died at the same time as Paris.”

“I know, I know…” Imam sighed as he returned to eating.

Riddick set back to work on finishing his plate as he and Jack shared a look. He’d cornered the holy man earlier and threatened him about causing trouble. Riddick didn’t honestly know how effective it was, but if he got put away because of him and Jack got put in a home he’d detour all the way to New Mecca, after getting out, to kill the man. He’d give him this one chance, but after that it’d be over. If he ever came across the man again he’d make sure it was the last time. This last week had been a pain in the ass. He had to reteach the same lesson over and over, Jack somehow got it in her head it was okay to hide from him, and plainly he was over this group thing. Him and the kid, two was as big as he was willing to let his party get.

ooo

“It’s almost over!” Jack cheered as she scurried on top of Riddick sitting on his stomach. “In a couple of hours we’ll be on solid ground!” Riddick just gave her this little grin but Jack knew he had to be excited too. “Less than half a day and we’ll be on a planet! That we can see already! There’ll be other people, and food that’s actually cooked by people, aaannnd we’ll never have to hear Imam ask me if “I’m sure” aga-!!”

Riddick laughed a bit as Jack squealed we flipped them over. “We’re supposed to be sleeping so time will go faster,” Riddick insisted as he nuzzled her ear.

Pausing a moment Jack asked, “Riddick can I do something?”

“Does it involve my dick?” Riddick asked as he pulled back to look at her.

“ _No_! Why would… you know what _no_ , never mind it doesn’t have to do with that!” Jack insisted, changing her mind about asking why he would ask that. “Just stay still for a couple seconds.”

_She’s cute when she blushes_ , Riddick couldn’t help but think before he flipped them back over saying with a grin, “Go ahead then.”

Jack looked around, uncertain about this, but when she still wanted to even after she tried to look for some reason not to; Jack settled her hands on his chest and leaned forward. She hesitated for a second, but when he didn’t move she pressed her lips to his before she could change her mind again. It wasn’t bad, even when Riddick moved pulling his arms around her, one hand burring in her hair. She’d been kissed before, but… she liked this more, even when he flipped them over as his tongue traced her lower lip. His lips worked against hers and she pulled him in closer as she darted her tongue out to meet his. He gave into her little bit of pressure, and pressed down against her. Only before she wanted it to end he pulled back a little before kissing the side of her mouth.

“Careful Pup,” Riddick breathed pressing his forehead to hers before he moved off her, pulling her so she had her back to his chest.


	6. Stop and Go

“Riddick, this thing is a piece of crap,” An old man bluntly stated as they walked out of it the old man’s grandson trailing behind them with a clipboard. “I’m surprise you landed the heap.”

“It’s big Jason, pay pretty good as scrap alone, replace the engine and you could probably still make profit selling it as is, plus the cargo, anything you find in any hiding spots, and the extra’s like the beds and tables. Than on top of that the skiff is practically an antique, probably someone out there willing to pay big once you scrub all the sand off it and find it’s serial number.” Riddick explained as they walked down the ramp and across the garage floor towards where Jack was busy eyeballing the ship that was probably going to be theirs. It was small, fast, star jumper that’d get them to their destination a bit faster than he calculated. Johns and Imam were busy at a table trying to figure out the best way to lie about how they’d gotten so far.

“It’s simple we’ll just tell them the people on the cargo ship wished to remain anonymous and so we let them ship back out before we went to find more help,” Johns told Imam, earning himself a nod.

“I’ll allow you to do most of the talking Mr. Johns,” Imam offered.

“Riddick, what concerns me is that you’re already asking a fair price,” Jason said stopping suddenly, turning to face the convict, sending his grandson scrambling not to bump into Riddick.

“Well I need the ship, I need the fresh cryo systems, I need to pay off the merc, and most of all I need to stay dead,” Riddick listed off again as he clenched and unclenched his fists. He’d known Jason for a long time back in his military days long, before the man was completely grey. Just like back then Jason endeavored to be difficult. “I could bump the price up if it makes you feel better about yourself to haggle me down.”

“No Riddick it would not make me feel better, Keith how did it fair on the tests?” Jason snapped looking to the boy in his mid-twenties.

“Technically we could clear it for flight as long they had an onboard mechanic, but ethically we’d have to firmly suggest they not take it out in the black for any extended period of time or something might bust…” Keith explained as he looked over the papers on the board. It was primitive but his grandfather liked hard files before electronic ones for some reason.

“Hear that Riddick you’re giving me something that could potentially kill my customers,” Jason said slyly, a grin gracing his features.

“I’m not _giving_ you shit, and I already told you the lowest I’d go,” Riddick growled even though it brought Jack to his side to see what was up.

Jason paused looked at the young… girl curiously for a moment before asking, “Is she yours?”

“I’m not his spawn if that’s what you mean,” Jack insisted sticking her tongue out in the universal _"that’s gross”_ expression.

“I didn’t think you were,” Jason told her with an indulgent smile, just second before he grinned and flicked the slowly fading mark on her neck adding, “One does not usually mark their _spawn_ with love bites.”

Jack flinched away from the old man’s hand and buried herself against Riddick’s side as they laughed. Pouting, for lack of a better word, Jack pressed her cheek to Riddick as she looked at some distant spot in the room, embarrassed. She didn’t know that Imam would be the only one that wouldn’t immediately guess it was hickie. Of course now that it had started to fade it looked more like Riddick had been trying to suck her blood then maul her as she’d originally complained.

“Yeah Jack’s mine Jason,” Riddick said wrapping his arm around her.

“It’s why you want the updated cryo so bad… it’s safer…” Jason surmised as he took the clipboard from his grandson and looked it over. “Skim off the fifty thousand from the hundred and fifty and you got a deal, I’ll even give you good idents for the ship as a gift.”

Riddick grinned, kid got him a deal just by being cute, he kissed the top of her head before saying, “I’ll skim off forty-five. Me and the girl need clothes, food, and a place to stay when we hit dirt again. I don’t exactly know how business is going on Beaulieu.”

Jason looked at the kid speculatively, like he was trying to decide just how cute she was, and yielded when Jack snapped at Riddick’s hand when he tried to run his fingers over her neck. “Fine, Hundred thou to the merc, and one star jumper, complete with papers, and five K for the dead man and his pet.”

“We were just ripped off weren’t we?” Jack asked as she shifted her backpack around a bit on her shoulder.

“I’m just paying sticker price to everyone today,” Riddick grumbled as the old man in front of them grinned widely. At least he trusted that Jason wouldn’t out him to the universe. Man had a code, he didn’t speak of anything that wasn’t his business, and even when it might have been he often played dumb. It was good for someone who wanted everyone to think they were dead.

“Well Keith! Write up some receipts and get the cred cards ready!” Jason yelled, despite his grandson being right next to him, as he started to shuffle off towards his office.

“He just called me a pet,” Jack said distaste ringing in her tone.

“Get used to it, he’ll never stop,” Riddick said with a shrug as he started over to the others, Jack still tucked under his arm. “Hey rich boy! Why don’t you go get us some food?”

“I’m not paying Riddick,” Johns insisted as he looked up from the paper Imam had started to scrawl their plan on. Basically it was a paper with all the lies the man probably felt like he’d have to atone for later, but Johns figured it would keep Riddick from killing them both in their sleep.

“No our late rescuers are footing the bill,” Riddick said pulling out a cred card he’d snatched from one of the girls rooms. It had a good hundred or so cred on it and would be plenty to get them some food and drink while they waited. Only Jack snatched it from his hand holding it to her chest, and he dreaded her saying it but it was out of her mouth before he could stop her…

“Can I go with Johns to get the food?!”

She looked so damn hopeful, and he knew she just wanted to see a crowd before they went anywhere. Glaring at Johns Riddick growled, “If anything happens to her I’ll feed you your dick, so if you don’t think you can handle it say so.”

“We’ll go to the nearest place we can get some take out at and be right back,” Johns shrugged as he stood up taking a baseball cap from his back pocket and putting it on, making Jack bounce in delight and pocket the card.

Riddick grabbed a hold of Jack’s shoulders first making her turn around so he could dig in her bag to pull out her own hat before making her face him. He wished he could take his goggles off to glare at her properly, but when he leaned down so he was closer to her level she seemed to get this was serious and sobered up real fast. “If anything happens you run, run anywhere; keep running till no one’s following you. I’ll come get you.”

Jack frowned for a second, but then put on a haughty smile, the one she use to give her friends before she went to do something stupid to get them money for food, “We’re just going to get some chow Riddick. Really, we’ll be right back.”

“You better be,” Riddick growled before putting her hat on her head a little rougher than he meant to saying, “Keep this on, be low key, and don’t say my name outside this garage you here me?” After a second and she nodded he let her go before watching her and Johns walk out of the garage. Growling a bit Riddick walked over and dropped into Johns’ vacated seat. Then he looked to Imam who was looking right back. “What?” Riddick snapped at him.

“I did not think you’d let her go,” Imam said with a light thoughtful frown.

“She’s young, I’m giving her the chance to back out,” Riddick said as he watched Jason come over with the receipts, cards, and papers.

“He says that like a big boy, but he knows he’d go after her even if she tried to bow out of his story,” Jason grinned as he pulled out a chair and sat at the table as well.

“Is that true?” Imam asked, though he lacked any more surprise for how Riddick and Jack behaved.

“Of course,” Jason answered for Riddick. “He’d let her run off, let her live a few days on her own, and then swoop in and save her when she needed it.”

“Jack was a… street child… though,” Imam explained.

“Who said she’d really be in danger?” Riddick growled. He wouldn’t let anyone seriously injure Jack, and he wouldn’t just sit by and wait for some piece of shit to try and violate her. “I’d be in control of every step if she didn’t try to come back after a while.” He didn’t think Jack wanted to leave though. It’d been touch and go for a while there the last few days, but that seemed settled. She’d kissed him and everything.

“You’d be manipulating her,” Imam accused.

“Have you told him what happens to girls like her?” Jason asked looking towards the holy man pityingly, like he didn’t understand the world at large.

“Me, Johns, and Jack all tried to explain it to him,” Riddick said shaking his head, “The man doesn’t get it.”

Pushing his fingers through his almost fluffy grey hair Jason tilted his head in thought for a moment before looking to the robed man saying, “Jack… Jack right?” He paused looked to catch Riddick nod before he went on, “She’s got something dark in her if it’s calling out to the beast sitting across from you. Riddick isn’t some teddy bear under all that muscle, I’ve known him a long time and the only mercy his spares is for the young _and_ helpless, and you gotta be both. What you see, it’s pretty much what you’re getting with him. So if the kids got something like _him_ crawling around under her skin, she won’t settle unless she breaks, and all manner of people would want to break something as cute and soft as her.” Leaning back in his chair Jason stated like it was fact, “Riddick will take care of her, if only because she’s his. Beasts like Riddick don’t like other animals fucking with their puppies, or cubs… whatever kind of animal they are.”

“You make it sound like Riddick is her father,” Imam said, as if the thought brought a bad taste to his mouth. Really it did considering the relationship he suspected they had, or would have when Jack reached whatever age Riddick thought suitable to carry it further.

“Did I not talk about how people do not typically give their spawn love bites?” Jason asked incredulously, his brow creasing as he looked at Riddick.

“You said it to Jack, Imam didn’t get the memo,” Riddick chuckled.

“Right, right, in any case I highly doubt Riddick has incestuous feelings towards his not child pup,” Jason said waving his hand dismissively. “Of course he has feelings for her in some fashion, but sometimes mates need to be taught, nurtured until they’re old enough to accept the title.”

“Nurture… does he know how to do that?” Imam asked looking to the older man.

“I’m right here holy man,” Riddick growled glaring a bit at him.

ooo

“So what kind of food do you want kid?” Johns asked as they entered a small marketplace just passed the docks. There was all kind of food stalls crammed in to every available spot on either side of a cramped walkway. He was keeping an eye out for the kid, taking notice to everyone around them, as well as the different places they could eat. “What about stir-fry?”

“Unless they have animals in cages next to their stall, we probably shouldn’t eat there,” Jack insisted as she looked around. “Unless they got animals to make more if they have a good day, you can’t trust what meat they’re using, especially if they don’t have a lot of meat or a lot of customers.”

“See this is why I eat in buildings, if they have a building they gotta be doing something right,” Johns said frowning as he took notice that some of the stalls did have chicken coops, there was one that had a couple of rabbits, some had signs, others were a complete mystery.

Jack took a good look around before coming up with something that might have been safe despite the lack of extra animals nearby. “It’s early right?” Jack asked as she grabbed onto Johns’ hand and started pulling him towards the stand.

“Is eleven early?” Johns asked as he jolted to a stop behind Jack as she stopped in front of a stall that seemed to be selling round mounds of bread, which he later recognized as some kind of dumpling since they were all marked for having something in them. “I don’t see any animals Jack,” He declared skeptically.

Taking a deep breath through her nose Jack couldn’t help but smile as the smell of real honest to goodness food flooded her senses. People pushed by them pointing out which kind of bun they wanted, and Jack knew it was okay. “People are buying, seems legit.” Jack shrugged as she read the little signs, each with different prices. “Look, the higher the price the better the meat.”

“Cheapest we got is mashed protein substitute, and yes child my stall is _legit_ as you say,” The middle aged woman said looking at her pointedly. “You’re not going to steal anything are you?”

“We got creds,” Johns said as he noted that most of the people buying around them at the stall, paying the younger woman next to the one watching Jack like a hawk, looked like they worked for a living and did okay at it down at the docks. “She’s got no reason to steal.”

“Then hurry it up you’re blocking my stall, and you gotta buy more than five credits worth or you need to get some coin first,” The woman insisted.

“Six pork buns, three chicken, three beef, and six with the sweet red bean,” Jack spouted off their order shoving the cred card at Johns.

“Six?” Johns asked keeping a hold of the card for a second instead of handing it right over.

“We should at least offer some to the old guy and his grandson,” Jack shrugged. She figured that if they came toting back too much that could be left with Johns and Imam, or with the garage, but if they took back too little they’d have to go back out for food again.

“Oh…” Johns nodded handing over the card to the younger woman while the older set about collecting the right amount, putting them into three paper bags for them. “I guess that old guy did rip the con off.”

“The chicken is on the bottom beef on the top,” The woman said writing a B and a C on one bag, P on the second, and RB and the last, shoving the first two at Johns and the third at Jack.

“Thank you!” Jack said making sure she had a good grip on the bag, while Johns fumbled around with the other two. As they headed back for the docks, and the garage Jack grinned a bit, before looking to Johns saying, “Hey, nothing bad happened!” Only to pause as she looked back at the booth and the woman who had accused her of being a thief… winking at her… “Accept that we just paid a hundred creds for about a fifty cred purchase.”

“If Riddick expected change I’m sending you back out to steal it back,” Johns nearly growled, but even that action made him rub his temples because Riddick was rubbing off on him.

“Like Riddick would let me do that!” Jack laughed as she bounded a couple of steps ahead of Johns when the crowd got less dense as they got closer to the docks. It was probably in-between arrivals, so there was a little room to breathe or she wouldn’t move so far from Johns.

“Jack! Don’t go too far!” Johns yelled jogging to keep up with the teen before she got him stabbed for not watching her.

“Come on Johns! _Big brother_ is going to see you not taking care of me!” Jack teased as she turned so she was walking backward in between people to see Johns look like he was going to have a heart attack yelling at her to get back over to him.

Only seconds later she realized why he looked so panic stricken instead of just frustrated. Someone grabbed the back of her shirt before dragging her back to them, squishing her arms and the bag to her with one arm, the other around her neck, only it wasn’t Riddick’s showing her through the motions of getting people off. She froze up though as she was pulled off into an alley, only Johns kept following getting passed the crowd and into the alley with them.

“Let the kid go!” Johns demanded the bags of their food forgotten by the entrance.

“This isn’t your fight, fuck off,” The man insisted looking at Johns like he’d lost it. “This little bitch is mine anyway.”

Johns laughed at that, imagined Riddick would have something to say about that, but really he was hoping something Riddick had taught Jack would kick in. It didn’t seem to though, the kid seemed stuck scared shitless. “You wouldn’t be saying that if you knew who the kid really belonged to,” Johns insisted right back trying to catch Jack’s eye, but she was just shivering.

“Listen, this little cunt is valuable, and she won’t get away again, so you can go fuck yourself, and tell your boss he just lost his money maker.”

Johns was thrown for a loop, but it instantly made sense at the same time too. “Jack who is this?” Johns asked trying to get the kid to respond, but when he didn’t get one he stepped forward telling the man straight out, “Look you dumb fuck I’m not leaving without her so let her go.”

Jack looked towards Johns, watching him get angry, her body going numb as Cross grabbed the bag and threw it away to start grabbing at her like he used to do to the new girls to see what he was working with. He was arguing with Johns, but what they were saying was lost on her by now. Something he said must have been vial though because she shuddered on instinct and then he was smelling her hair…

_“Sick fucks usually get a kick out of smelling their prey especially when someone’s watching. Don’t hesitate, headbutt them and then jerk forward and try to run.”_

Jack jerked her head back and up towards where she could feel his nose against her scalp. He yelped and swore loudly but she pushed forward, and getting free she ran for it. In the back of her mind she knew that Johns wasn’t behind her at first, but once they got closer to the hanger he was there behind her. Jack didn’t stop though she kept running, pushing through door that led into the front office. Riddick was in the open entrance to the garage grabbing her up before she knew it.

“What the fuck did you do Johns!?” Riddick roared holding onto Jack as she wrapped around him like someone was honestly going to try and take her from him.

“I didn’t do shit! She was messing around and some guy just ups and grabs her, spouting off about her being his property!” Johns tried to defend himself pointing out towards the street where the person at fault was somewhere out there on the planet. “She headbutted the guy, and I knocked him out to make sure he didn’t follow after us. I was doing what I could; I wasn’t going to leave her with him! If I’d known I would have taken a gun with me!”

Riddick stopped as Jack whimpered, trying to ball herself up against him, her head buried against his neck. “Oh Pup…” Riddick breathed nudging the side of her head before he growled in warning at the men coming closer to see what was up. Glaring at Jason he told him, “I need some place private.”

“Use the ship,” Jason said pointing to the ship Riddick just sold him.

Not saying anything Riddick headed to what had just recently been their room. He didn’t stop until he got there, and then he kicked the door shut. Only he didn’t even make it to the bed, he slid down the door with her, wrapping himself around her as much as he could while she let it out. She sobbed against him, and he let her cry herself out, waiting until she let out a couple of coughs, ending the fit. “Hush Jack,” Riddick rumbled to her as he sat up a bit holding her face in his hands. “I’m going to kill him.” Only Jack barely reacted, her eyes looked dead. Rage welled up in him, fury practically rolling off him. “Jack look at me,” Riddick demanded roughly.

Only her look didn’t change.

“Jack you’re not with me!” Riddick growled grabbing her shoulders violently. “Damn it pay attention!” Only she didn’t even flinch. His beast came to the forefront, the thought of losing her just festering, and he growled. “You’re mine! You don’t have the fucking right to leave me!”

She tensed closing her eyes, and Riddick reigned in his control as he stood, walking over to the bed. Only instead of pushing her down into the mattress like he wanted to he flopped onto his back leaving her sitting on his stomach. “ _Jack_ …” Riddick growled, trying to get her back without pushing her too hard.

“Riddick…” Jack whimpered, her fingers gripping at the black tee he wore.

“Come on Pup,” Riddick coaxed her, though he was unable to get the rough edge off his tone.

“I… I don’t feel safe…” Jack stammered.

“I got you Jack,” Riddick said brushing his thumbs up and down on her hips where he held her.

“I don’t want him!” Jack yelled suddenly as she fought to stand. She wanted to be pressed into a corner or hiding under the bed, or under Riddick. This was too open. “I don’t want to do it with him ever again!”

Riddick grabbed a hold of her arms making her stay on top of him, now leaning over him. “I’m going to kill him Jack, we’re gonna stay on Hermes for a little bit, and I’m going to kill him. If he ever even looks at you, I’ll take every part he lays on you. I’m going to butcher him Jack; I’ll take every part he’s ever laid on you.” He’d never said he was going to kill someone so much, but every time he did he felt the need to do it just that much more. He needed this bastard’s blood on his hands. Each growled word was a deep dark promise he was making his pup.

“He hurt me Riddick,” Jack keened. “I don’t want him, I want you.”

He growled suddenly at that, flipping them over. “Mine.” Riddick purred darkly, pressing down against her. When she clung to him Riddick added, “I’m right here.” He grinded against her a little kneeing her legs apart before settling between them as she wrapped those long limbs around his hips. Kissing the side of her mouth he let her rub against him, pressing back against her a little, letting it feel good but not wanting to scare her. Not now. His lips dipped down to her neck, licked at the hickie there.

When she shuddered, the scent of arousal flooding over him further, he pressed against her more firmly, stopping her from rolling her hips against his as he said, his voice strained, “Stop Jack.” Kissing her, his lips brushing over hers he told her, “Not today.”

“But…” Jack protested her eyelids heavy with arousal.

He wouldn’t do this when she was scared of being raped again. He wouldn’t do this while he was this angry. He could never promise Jack her first willing time would be gentle but he wouldn’t make it violent while he had some kind of control. “We’re going to calm down,” He told her as he nuzzled her cheek letting her nuzzle him back.

_“Because you’re half hard between her legs and we want to fuck her.”_

Riddick shoved the mental voice away; he wouldn’t spend another cryo trip making his own beast shut up. “After, we’ll go back out.”

ooo

“See you around kid,” Johns said ruffling her hair once they were finished with their meal, “Stick with Riddick, and don’t get killed.”

“I’ll be fine Johns,” Jack told him with as much of a smile as she could muster.

“Mmhmm,” Johns hummed patting her shoulder before waving to Riddick as he moved to follow after Imam saying, “Take care of her Riddick. If I ever see your sorry mug again, I at least wanna see Jack’s too.”

“What else am I going to do merc?” Riddick shrugged as he watched them go, Imam’s goodbyes had been wishing them well but nothing further. Johns had actually given them a real goodbye, he’d expected it in a way. This was not how he expected his parting with William Johns to be, but he supposed this wasn’t a bad way to leave off. 

Jack watched them leave the garage before looking to Riddick saying, “We’re gonna have to break open the wine soon…”

Riddick hummed but he could tell the kid was going to miss the merc. She was scuffing the toe of her boot against the ground as she watched them disappear into the crowd. After a second though his attention turned to Jason who had saddled up next to him, “What do you want old man?”

“Maybe you should just head out to Beaulieu with the pet,” Jason suggested.

“I have business here,” Riddick growled as Jack wandered away back towards the table they’d all been sitting at.

“Tomorrow morning my regular crew comes back,” Jason explained, seeing that he would not be able to reason with the beast, before he looked towards the convict, “Can your business be done that fast? If it can’t you’ll have to come back after the work day is done in order to take off.”

Riddick watched Jason behind his goggles for a minute before looking to where Jack was sitting at the table. The person he probably trusted the most (and it was an odd thought) to watch Jack had just walked off with the holy man to go to New Mecca. He could leave her here for a few hours he was sure that Jason was smart enough to keep her safe for that long. He knew Jack would book it if something happened, but it was whether or not he wanted to chance it.

When nothing was said Jason sighed, saying, “If you’d like you can set up shop in my apartment. The kid’ll probably be safer there anyway.”

“Yeah, let’s get moving then,” Riddick said before he paused looking to Jack who was looking for her cue to get up. “There any little shops near your place, sells clothing?”

“Sure there is,” Jason said as he walked towards his office. “Hold on, let me get the boy and my keys and we’ll head out.”

ooo

They’d shopped, they ate again, and they’d waited for it to get dark, and with sleeping arrangements in Jason’s apartment settled it was time to get a move on for Riddick.

He watched as Jack sat on the bed wearing the shirt he’d just been wearing and a pair of soft pajama short’s she’d just bought with him earlier. Only he wasn’t dressed for bed, he was dressed for work. Jack had reluctantly told him what Cross looked like, the kind of girls he’d run, that after what just happened he’d probably be in a bar trying to nurse his ego, and Riddick reminded himself his face would probably be busted up a little unless he got it fixed somewhere. It was obvious Jack didn’t want him to go, but she wasn’t trying to stop him. Walking over he let Jack shift up onto her knees as she hugged him around his middle, and his fingers played into her hair as he told her, “I’ll be back by sunrise, but I want you to sleep a little. Jason’s room is down the hall, and Keith is on the couch in the livingroom, you need something you go to them.”

“What if I have a nightmare?” Jack asked hopelessly, seeming very much like a child. She knew that she was a teenager now, and she was being childish, but she didn’t want to be left alone, the dark seemed bigger without Riddick.

Sighing Riddick picked her up, giving her a soft kiss before saying, “Lay down and watch TV, rest, if you sleep you sleep, if you don’t you don’t.” He really wanted her to sleep but he knew Jack had gotten use to him next to her. She nodded though, and he figured if she laid down she’d drift in and out and get some kind of rest.

“Remember what I told you.” Riddick said after a moment, expecting her to tell him what he’d said.

“If something goes wrong, run. You’ll come and find me.” Jack said as she looked down a little straightening out a crease in his tank.

“And?” Riddick asked solemnly.

“If I get caught I have to keep looking for an opening and not to waste energy flailing around until I find it…” Jack answered even though they both knew that’d be the hardest part for her.

“I’ll be back by sunrise,” Riddick repeated putting her back down on the bed and picked up the remote handing it to her when she finally looked up at him.

It felt different having someone to care about, because there was no denying that he cared now. He suddenly understood something he’d seen a long while back. It’d been back when he was a teenager, a stint between a facility and the military when he’d been free. This guy had been standing in front of a girl in a military uniform, the same kind he’d later get. The girl wouldn’t look up at the guy, but she kept fixing his jacket while they talked, and the guy kept insisting things to her, trying to catch her eye. Riddick had watched out of curiosity back then, but now got what had been happening, though he doubted they’d been having the same conversation.

Leaning down he kissed the top of her head before he headed out of the room and the apartment waving to Keith, who stood up to lock the door, as he left.

The kid might have burrowed her way in waking up a soft part just for her, but he had violent things to do tonight. The beast had been begging to play lately, and because he couldn’t set it loose on Jack he’d set it loose a different way on the bastard that hurt her.


	7. Cross My Heart and Hope to Die

"That's the second time boss, she's more trouble than she's worth," a tall lanky man with wiry muscles said after slamming his shot glass down.

"It's not the second time!" Cross, the man sitting next to the other with shaggy blonde hair and brown eyes insisted.

"You're right, it's actually more like the sixth," sneered the dark haired taller one. "She completely checked out when you did her, then she runs off when you finally get sick of her and sleep, hides out on the same rock as you for months supposedly dressed like a boy, then because that little scrap of a runt had the balls to run off the other girls follow her lead, so we had to come all the way out here, start over, and then when you finally run across her again she headbutts you because you wanted to smell her hair like a rookie. Worst thing is I didn't get to see the best parts."

"I'm going to get her Billy, not even to make her walk the streets, I'll keep her in a fucking closet if I have to," Cross muttered at his drink. "She'll do what I say when I say it, none of that dancing around it shit that she was so good at."

"See this is your problem, you're obsessed. If you liked her so much you shouldn't have shoved your dick in her like that, she was young, she wasn't going anywhere. You could have eased her into it" Billy shrugged reaching over and taking Cross' beer so he could a swig before setting in front of the man again. "But you didn't, so you should just accept that someone else got her, and let it go. Maybe find another girl to focus on. A pretty little thing you could just kiss and cuddle with like you use to with Jack. Get a slave, or train a real young one, Jack had too much spirit."

"No, I will not just get some slave!" Cross snapped. "Jack is still on this rock, I'll find her."

"Yeah, totally we'll find that little slip of a girl on this big ass rock! Because we were so good at it before!" Billy yelled sarcastically before looking around at everyone at the bar and settling his sights on the big guy a couple seats away saying, "Hey Cross maybe he knows where the kid is! Hey buddy you know a girl named Jack, she's probably about twelve short hair, impish grin?"

"Shut up Billy," Cross glared before muttering, "And she's thirteen by now."

Only the man turned silver eyes on them, welders goggles around his neck, and shrugged saying, "Thought I saw a boy with this cop looking guy, they were asking this old man running a food stand about a hotel so they could rest up. Coulda been a girl though had a soft face and baggy clothes." Then disinterestedly he took a swig of his beer and turned his eyes back to the news on one of the screens behind the bar. Honestly Riddick was about ready to just start a bar fight and shiv them both, but if he could make this slow he'd stomach it for a little longer.

"Which way they go?" Cross asked suddenly nearly falling off his stool in his haste to stand up.

"Pointed them up the road from here, probably been the Rooster, or the Nightingale, they're both just filled with whores and Johns though. 'Course they could've gone somewhere else, if not guess they'd be just about done now," Riddick said waving his hand dismissively at first, before shrugging with a less than polite grin at the end. Cross was out of the bar fast, followed by his muttering flunky. No one noticed Riddick finish off his beer before he went after them.

There was just this one problem when he came out the bar. A familiar voice was yelling for a Richard in the opposite direction of where Cross went, it wasn't a girl, but it didn't make it any better that it was Keith. Kid didn't have tact when he was ten and he didn't have it now that he was older. Jogging over Riddick quickly pulled him down an alley before any more attention was drawn their way. "What the hell are you doing?" Riddick growled hoping to that fucker called god that this had very little to do with Jack.

_Please say the kid had a nightmare and is wigging out safely in your room…_

"S-she just kept s-screaming and then when I tried to help it just got worse. Then she just… Rid-Richard I didn't touch her, she wigged out, she almost stabbed me! Then she ran! I-I tried to stop her! _Please don't kill me I'm sorry!_ " Keith pleaded nearing on hysteria.

"Where the fuck she go Keith?" Riddick demanded shoving the young man up against the wall.

"I-I don't know! She was so fast I lost her! She just kept running! She started running toward the bad part of the city the really bad part! I'm sorry! It tried and I really want to live!" Keith stammered shutting his eyes when he thought Riddick was going to hit him, only he was just let go. When he opened his eyes Riddick was just gone.

ooo

Jack pressed her back to the wall in the alley she finally stopped in an alley. She'd finally calmed down, and was instantly, and intensely, aware that she'd done something stupid.

_Riddick's going to fucking kill me!_

The worst part was she didn't even know where she was, and this didn't exactly look like the kind of place where you went around asking directions.

_No wait there's something worse…_

Upon looking down at herself Jack found she was still in pajamas and she didn't even have shoes on. That would probably account for why her feet hurt more than they should have. Sighing Jack put the knife she found herself to still be holding down her shirt, so it was held in place by her bra, and slunk towards the mouth of the alley to look around. Maybe if there was a group of working girls she could try and ask, or if there was a street kid around her age.

Only there were too many people milling about; too many men looking at the women standing around. Leaning out as far as she dared Jack noticed she was next to a hotel, which didn't make anything better. She looked like some kid who just ran away from a really bad night, she would know, and if you were vulnerable anyone felt like they could pick you up… she knew that too.

Slipping back into the alley more Jack lightly thumped her head back against the wall trying to figure out what to do. There was no way she could hide in an alley next to a hotel all night. Eventually some broke bastard would come down here with a girl because he didn't wanna pay for everything. Taking a deep breath Jack thought over her options, and decided that all that was really left was for her to just look for the docks. If she could find the docks she could find the old guys house, or at least his shop, hide out around there…

Peeking out around the corner Jack judged it as being as clear as it was going to get. After another quick breath she walked out of the alley, her head down as she walked away from the hotel. A few glances around told her she might have been going in the right direction; there was a spot in the distance, not too far off where things got brighter. With any luck it was because the light poles were all working, which meant people there cared enough to bitch about them being fixed. She forced herself not to run for it, because while she'd been lucky on the way in she didn't think she had enough luck to get back out. When she glanced back up her heart nearly stopped, and in the half good way, Riddick was in front of her, but there was a problem. His mouth worked one word silently, _run_ , she did as he wanted instantly and felt someone's fingers try to grasp for her shoulder. Jack didn't look back, she just ran towards Riddick, letting him grab her arm and half drag her into the alley as familiar voices yelled for them.

They were a few feet in when Riddick suddenly turned them both so they were facing Cross and Billy. His hands were on her shoulders making her face them in front of him. He probably wasn't going to get the bloody fun he'd been planning, but there was nothing like showing someone how very wrong they were. When they both started looking so very confused Riddick leaned down more his arms sliding around Jack as he held her to him.

"What the fuck is this?" Cross asked as he watched Jack cling to one of the arms around her, like she was trying to hide against the man.

"Well I was going to kill you all nice and slow, but these things happen," Riddick said before kissing the top of Jacks head. He hadn't wanted to do this in front of Jack, but she knew who he was, what he was, and hopefully she'd be able to handle it. If not he'd have to deal with that later.

"So you knew!" Billy accused glaring at the pair. "You were trying to trap us!"

"That's what he said you idiot!" Jack yelled braver in Riddick's arms. It earned her a chuckle from him and another kiss. She knew he wouldn't let them hurt her and she found she wasn't freezing up. Riddick promised her that he'd kill Cross.

"She doesn't belong to you!" Cross yelled coming as close to them as he dared, stopping just out of arms reach.

"She doesn't?" Riddick asked his silver eyes sparking as he looked down at Jack before pushing the shoulder of his shirt out of the way, and pressed her hair back over her ear, so it'd be easier to see, asking, "Jack who gave you the mark there?" He kissed her temple, "The mark on your neck."

"You did," Jack said looking up at him with a wry smile as he stood up straight, still holding her against him with one arm the other on her head.

"Did you like it when I kissed you like that?" Riddick asked with a wicked grin as Cross seemed to go red with rage. "Hmm Jack?" He'd lure the bastard in, kill him, his eyes flicked back to the lackey who looked like he was trying to figure out what he should do, kept looking at him a lot. The man had probably seen his picture before was trying to put a name to his face.

"Yeah, I liked it," Jack said pressing back into him as Cross got angrier. Her hands reached up gripping the arm Riddick had across her from shoulder to shoulder.

Cross took another step glaring at the girl yelling, "Don't lie Jack!"

"I'm not lying!" Jack yelled back as Riddick's hand moved from her hair to gently grasping her neck. She knew it was a warning but she never got to yell at him, it seemed like she should be able to yell at him for what he did.

"You didn't like it when I gave you a hickie!"

"I didn't belong to you! You didn't have the right!"

"Didn't belong to me? I fed and clothed you! I put a roof over your head!"

Jack sneered and pressed against Riddick's arm, he could no doubt feel the knife she had against her sternum. She could feel it cutting her but she didn't care, "I fed and clothed myself! You only did it when you felt like it! I don't know why I ever liked you!"

While the man seethed Riddick grinned asking, "Pup, who do you belong to?"

"You," Jack answered instantly leaning back into him so it took the pressure off the shiv.

"What's my name?" Riddick asked moving his hand from around her to slide it up her shirt. "My real name, my whole name."

"Boss get away from him!" Billy shouted suddenly catching on.

"Stop touching her!" Cross demanded reaching out to grab for Jack.

"Richard B. Riddick," Jack said her breath hitching as Riddick let go of her neck and latched onto Cross' wrist. His other hand stopped playing up her front and he instead retrieved the knife quickly. Riddick had it to Cross' neck just as recognition set in. The man's eyes widened first on Riddick before lowering back down to Jack, who didn't have one shred of sympathy for him.

"Jack, go stand watch for me," Riddick growled down to her affectionately as he noticed Billy back out of the alley and run off. He wouldn't have to worry about that coward trying to come back and save his boss, but on the off chance he got stupid Jack would be a good alarm. Jack carefully moved from in front of him walking around Cross to stand at the mouth of the alley, She moved out onto the sidewalk, leaning back against the building part of her body not fully on the wall so he could see her. Good kid. His eyes flicked down to the cowering man in his hold. "Oh will you shut up," Riddick growled his lip curling back in disgust. "Jack doesn't whine as much as you do."

"You can have her!" Cross tried to bargain.

"I already have her," Riddick told him backing turning and backing the man further into the dark alley.

"I can give you other girls too!" Cross tried again struggling to get away even as he was slammed back into a wall.

"If I was into that kind of thing I'd fuck you so you knew how Jack felt, but I'll just have to be creative," Riddick feigned a sigh, before grinning maliciously.

"S-she was asking for it!"

Riddick frowned at that leaned his forearm on the man's windpipe as he tapped the blade against his cheek. "Keep up with that and I'll cut out your tongue."

"You don't want that little whore she was wet for it, she wan-!" Cross yelled trying to look to the front of the alley where Jack was, only to be cut off when Riddick pressed harder against his neck

With a growl Riddick dragged the shiv down Cross' cheek blood blossoming and running down his cheek and neck. There the sudden feeling of the knife popping through the cheek a little, the soft click of knife hitting teeth. He could hear and see the man screaming making the cut pull as he pulled the knife away. "Tell me something else I dare you," Riddick threatened as he grabbed the front of his shirt slamming him back against the wall. It gave him enough time to grab the Cross' hand slamming the shiv into his hand getting it to stick mostly into the wall behind him.

Cross broke into unintelligible yelps and shrieks, and Jack peeked back to see what was happening. She'd heard most of what Cross had yelled and what he was starting to yell about touching her. It made her worry that Riddick might believe it. When she looked she couldn't see much but it looked like Cross was attached to the wall by a knife in the hand closest to where she was standing, that might have been blood glinting down his cheek and she gasped as Riddick pulled out a wicked looking curved shiv, but didn't get to see what he did with it as he shoved his shoulder into the other man's chest. When Riddick let up he dropped …. Jack looked away as Cross _screamed_ he lifted his free hand to look at it. She was pretty sure he was missing more than one finger.

Whimpering Jack looked around making sure no one was looking. Everyone was either very fond of the other side of the street or wasn't stupid enough to even look her way.

"NO! Not that! Not tha-!"

The words turned back to yelling and screaming and Jack slid down the wall, crouching a bit. She wasn't going to try and stop Riddick, she didn't want him to stop. She didn't care that the booming laughter sounded crazy amused. Still it was jarring to hear, she was just glad Riddick wasn't making her watch. Jack wasn't sure she could watch that.

It didn't take long for the screaming to stop, shock either settled in or Riddick cut out his tongue. There was gurgling now, Jack supposed it could've been both but she refused to look.

After a couple of minutes Riddick walked out of the alley his goggles on a wicked grin on his lips. He looked down at her and cocked his head to the side asking, "You want me to carry you back Pup?"

He was blood splattered, a murderer, he seemed like he was buzzing, but Jack just raised her arms silently pleading to be held. Riddick pulled her up into his arms readily and as Jack held onto him she felt something pull in her. Some deep part of her was reaching out to the dark part of him that was still holding her so possessively.

ooo

"Jack you need to let go of him so he can shower," Keith tried to insist careful not to pull her away from the man letting her cling to him. Riddick looked like he was ready to keep right on murdering if given half a reason, not even half of a very good reason. "He's covered in blood… and… whatever else he's covered in."

"He carried me all the way here covered in it!" Jack growled holding onto Riddick's waist tighter.

"Riddick," Jason insisted from the couch, "I know it pleases you to watch your pet do this but I think my grandson would appreciate you not tracking blood into his bed."

With a light shrug Riddick looked down to Jack who had her face buried in his stomach. "Kid I gotta wash off, so let go or I'm taking you in the shower with me." When Jack wouldn't let go he looked at the other two before picking her back up into his arms. "Got any objections?" Riddick asked, Keith looked scared to talk; Jason just waved his hand dismissively, shaking his head. "Didn't think so." They didn't matter anyway He and Jack would be gone tomorrow.

Riddick walked down the hall into Keith's room first, grabbing the duffle bag that had the few things they had bought before walking back out and into the bathroom across the hall turning the lights on low. Jack didn't make any big fuss, but when he sat her on her feet she looked unsure. She only shifted her weight when he shut the door, and Riddick took the time to take in her appearance. She'd managed to get dirty, her legs and feet looked scraped up. He could get her something for that before they went into space. Taking off his goggles he leaned forward and caught her eye asking, "You wanna go back to the room?"

"No," Jack answered quickly. She wanted to stay with him.

Riddick nodded rubbed a hand over her head, before asking, "Can you get undressed on your own?" Jack nodded, but she didn't look entirely sure, so he set about undressing himself first, still feeling good, free, and very possessive of, and tender towards, his pup. If she'd stay he'd enjoy the shower with her, if not he'd rinse off and crawl into bed with her. If she wanted to stay but needed to be helped to do so, he'd take his time. It was just a shower, but just tonight he'd coddle her a little.

Jack watched him undress, he was casual about it, not fast or slow but getting the job done. She lingered over his upper body because while Jack had seen him without a shirt plenty she still liked how he looked so strong. The only reason she looked below his waist to get rid of her curiosity. She swallowed to get rid of the tight feeling in her throat. There was no way that was going to fit in her without hurting, that much was apparent to her. When she looked back up she must have been blushing because Riddick was giving her this little grin that told her he thought she was cute. "At least I'm not freaking out," Jack said absently.

"Need help?" Riddick said motioning to her clothes after he nodded in agreement. He hadn't thought of that, hadn't wanted to. How Jack would react to them both being naked at the same time… in a closed space. He hadn't exactly though about how he'd react to it. Shrugging mentally Riddick decided to continue not to think about it.

"Think so…" Jack nodded. Girls younger than her had seen plenty of men naked, and girls younger than her _worked_ every night. She could take one shower with Riddick so she didn't have to leave him. Maybe if she was in front of him he wouldn't think of anything Cross said and ditch her. She'd rather have to talk about it then Riddick leave her here.

Riddick moved closer to her, brushed his fingers through her hair before he reached down and pulled her shirt up over her head. Then he unclasped her bra, brushing his fingers over her shoulders to get the straps down her arms. Both pieces of clothing found the pile of his clothes, and then he pushed her shorts down and she kicked them towards the pile for him. He didn't hesitate, and her underwear went next, but she hesitated before kicking them away too. She watched Riddick give her a once over before he wandered over to the shower, pulled the curtain aside, and started it up. Moving closer after him she felt awkward, noticed he didn't, he just ruffled her hair, draped his arm over her shoulder and waited for the old plumbing to make the water hot. She leaned into him, and thought on how it was odd to feel skin against her skin. It wasn't bad but it was different. "You're warm." Jack mumbled, just to say something.

"Always am," Riddick shrugged, testing the water, before letting his arm drop back down.

"Is this okay?" Jack asked watching the water rain down from the shower head.

"We've had this conversation Pup," Riddick told her with a small shake of his head, "If you're not okay, get dressed and go to the room." He looked down at her noticed all the soft parts of her but just tweaked her chin a little. He put his other hand under the water again, and this time it was hot enough so he stepped into the shower.

Jack waited a second but followed him in, shutting the curtain behind her. Still not knowing what to do she let Riddick direct her. He put his hands on her shoulders, turning her around so she was facing him, and her put her under the spray of the water. He pushed his fingers through her hair, the water soaking it and running down her back.

Riddick didn't say anything just rinsed her off before moving her around him to let the water hit him next, but Jack wrapped her arms around him, her front to his back. "Jack I'm not going to leave you behind." Riddick told her as he grabbed a wash cloth and some soap. He leathered it up starting at his chest and working down his arms. Jack seemed to cling to him harder and he sighed detangling her from him before turning to the side and making quick work of washing off his legs. After he rinsed off he pulled Jack back in front of him, holding her with one arm while he braced the other on the wall.

Jack put her arms back around him, her forehead to his chest as he rubbed her back. "It wasn't true," Jack whined against his wet skin.

"I know that Jack," Riddick grumbled to her as he held her tighter.

Jack pressed closer to him, only to start leaning on him heavily. Her legs ached and stung, and somehow Riddick must have noticed because he grabbed the soap lathering it between his hands before he took her mostly out of the spray. He set the soap on a soap tray close to the rim of the tub and knelt down to carefully massage her legs. She watched him a little, but just ended up letting her head loll to the side as she put her hands on his shoulders. That felt good…

_Not the smartest move Dicky-boy_ Riddick thought almost absently as he worked his way up to her thighs, steered clear of a part of her he really wanted to explore, and rubbed her hips instead as he looked up at her relaxed face. He was struck by how small she was, not much taller than him even though he was kneeling. It hadn't bothered him when he was holding her, but this "feel good" smell she was giving off was melting into something damn close to arousal. _Been a long time_ … Riddick thought as he reached for the soap again and lathered his hands a little more. A dark thought occurred to him as he looked up at her again, her eyes a little darker and heavy-lidded as she watched him. _She'd let me do anything I wanted to her, if I did it nice and slow she'd even like it a little._

"You're thinking…" Jack didn't know what kind of thought, but she could see him turning it over in his head, feel it in the way his fingers touched her in an almost testing way up her ribcage.

"I don't want to kill you," Riddick told her as he suddenly stopped his trek right under her breasts and patted her hip before standing. "Rinse off."

"You wanna fuck…" Jack trailed off before saying just who he wanted to fuck, and glanced down. Only she didn't even look long enough to be sure and just did as she was told.

"You'd hate me a little," Riddick told her as he leaned down a little over her shoulder and kissed her cheek.

"Why?" Jack asked looking at him through the corner of her eye a little frightened.

"Been a long time, I'd try for a while, get you off, start out as slow as I could, but then I'd stop trying," Riddick explained, as he brushed his fingers down her sides to her hips. Thought about bending her forward, then seeing where his brain was going told her, "We need to get out now." He couldn't be sure how he imagined her screaming, but as he wasn't sure Jack would be one to scream he didn't want to explore the thought.

He watched her hesitate for a second but when he let go of her she got right out. Riddick was aware that he should stay and deal with his growing problem, and ended up instructing, "Jack get dressed, and go to Keith's room to wait for me baby." He just hoped she'd listen. There was a long pause before she poked her head back in and he growled because he knew what she was going to say.

"I could…. I could help Riddick," Jack offered timidly keeping her eyes on his face.

"You offering because you want to, or because you owe me?" Riddick growled out his question his silver eyes locking onto Jack.

Jack chewed her lower lip a bit before finally answering, "…Both…"

"Get out Jack," Riddick told her firmly as he leaned against the wall wishing she'd go already.

"But…" she objected at first.

"Fuck," _Why'd you have to be young enough for me to care?_ "Jack, go to the room."

"Can I still get dressed?"

"Quickly, and don't look back in here."

When she stopped looking Riddick turned putting his head to the wall waiting for the door to open and close before he closed his eyes and gripped himself.

ooo

Jack sat on the bed watching some late night show she wasn't really seeing or hearing, her knees pulled up to her chest. She should have been more sure of herself when she offered, but she didn't even know specifically how she could have helped, or how he would have wanted her to. Sure you heard plenty when you lived in what was basically a whore house, but it wasn't like Jack had tried any of it. Riddick had told her she was young, that she didn't need to be having sex. Still she was curious and the more she thought about it the more she thought she should have stayed in the shower…

She hadn't even really touched herself…

She couldn't try now either! She'd waited too long and she was on some guy's bed, and anyone could walk in…

And right when she thought about maybe trying anyway Riddick walked in, a pair of boxers on, dropping the duffle bag back next to the bed with her backpack. He didn't say anything just flopped down easily onto the bed next to her. The sun was going to come up soon but they were going to wait for Jason's garage to close again for the day, so they could sleep as long as they wanted.

Jack uncurled from herself and crawled over to lean into Riddick's side, getting him to put his arm around her. He nuzzled her hair and when she turned her face up to look at him Riddick pressed his lips to hers. It was a slow, almost lazy, kiss that, even when she pushed closer, he didn't try and make more urgent. His tongue traced her lower lip before he pulled back and shuffled her over him, so she was sitting sideways on his lap, resting his cheek on her head.

"Someday you're going to need to sleep without me kid," Riddick mumbled to her even as he wrapped his arms around her to make sure she stayed.

"Because you're going to leave me?" Jack asked clinging to him.

"I told you I'm not going to leave you," Riddick growled against her hair, "but something might happen that I'm not going to be in every night."

"Like work?" Jack asked looking up at him.

"Yeah kid, like work," Riddick nodded as nudged her affectionately. After that his silver eyes dropped down to her bag before he grinned a little his eyes glinting as he looked at Jack. "You wanna drink some of the wine? We could leave the rest to Jason and Keith." When Jack grinned back at him and nodded he moved her onto the bed next to him so he could get the bottle from her bag. "Jack, go get two glasses," Riddick nodded his head to the door as he worked on opening the bottle.

ooo

"D-does'it really feel good?" Jack asked her face flush her head tilted curiously as she sat straddling his lap watching him.

They'd gone through a little more than half the bottle and Jack was a little more than tipsy and Riddick had a nice buzz going. It didn't seem like Jason and Keith were getting any, and pouring a little more into each of their glasses Riddick asked, "Does wha' feel good kiddo?" Then he watched her as Jack mumbled a little and blushed more as he leaned forward and she had to lean back so he put the bottle on a bedside table. After they both took another sip of the dark red wine they were drinking, only Jack was stalling so he grinned and asked, "Touching yourself or sex?"

"Tou… se… both?" Jack finally asked before snorting a little.

Riddick stopped there, drinking down his glass and taking Jack's and downing hers too, before saying, "You can't tell me you haven't touched yourself Jack, you should know that feels good."

"I… I haven't," Jack stammered, busying herself with clumsily putting the cups next to the bottle.

Normally he would've called her a liar but instead he gave her a long look trying to work it out in his admittedly foggy mind. Then he was startlingly reminded that not only was Jack young but she'd been through a lot, a lot of things that did not exactly suggest she had the privacy, or possibly the want, to touch herself. He gave her a soft smile and pushed his fingers heavily through her hair saying, "Yeah both feel good." When she looked down away from him trying to work her mouth he cupped her face in his hands saying, "Sex'll feel good Pup." She still looked unsure and he leaned in kissing her a bit before saying, "People wouldn't do it all the time if it didn't feel good, you will feel good." He kissed her cheeks and forehead, and then her lips some more.

"Like when you kiss me?" Jack asked shyly, before looking down as she idly traced her fingers over his stomach unsure why she said that.

Riddick grinned almost foolishly as he asked, "You like why I kiss ya Pup?"

She blushed, and kept her green eyes on his naked torso, but she still nodded saying, "It feel's good. I like when you kiss me."

He leaned in pressing his forehead to hers his hand gently gripping the back of her neck as he told her, "Not scared anymore, when I make you feel good?"

"I don't think you'll hurt me like that," Jack mumbled as she looked towards his eyes when he leaned away a little.

Riddick smiled and kissed the side of her mouth saying, "I won't hurt you like that."


	8. Two Steps Back, One Step Forward

Riddick frowned when he felt Jack pull away from him, and he opened his eyes when she gave a pained groan. However he didn't move any further when she crawled over him to get off the bed. She padded out of the room and he listened as she closed the bathroom door. They had the house to themselves until Keith came to get them when everyone left the garage for the day, but he still stood after a moment with a yawn and headed into the hallway. Knocking on the door he asked, "You alright in there kid?"

When a muffled fine came through the door he headed into the main part of the apartment, and into the kitchen. He grabbed two water bottles from the fridge, setting one on the counter for Jack before opening his and taking a couple gulps. After a couple of minutes Jack walked out and ventured over to him. She ignored the water and instead just leaned into him, her arms wrapping around him. They stood there in silence for a few prolonged minutes before Riddick set his bottle down, and opened the one he pulled out for Jack.

"Here Pup," Riddick hummed getting her to take the bottle.

Jack drank some of the water, trying not to notice the steady throbbing in her temples. Reaching and putting the bottle back on the counter Jack mumbled, "Can we lay back down?"

"What hurts?" Riddick asked skeptically as he brushed her hair back from her face. Jack never really wanted to just lay down, let alone lay _back_ down, so something must have been wrong

"My head mostly," Jack breathed as Riddick picked her up snagging her water. "I think I might have a hangover."

"Hope so, shouldn't put you under if you're sick," Riddick said as he walked her over to the couch putting her down there, and handing her back the water before he headed into the bathroom to raid the medicine cabinet. He came back with a two pain pills, generic, something Keith probably got for headaches or some other trivial pain. It'd do for Jack's hangover. Sitting down next to her Riddick handed her the pills making sure she took them before he wrapped an arm around her.

If she was sick she shouldn't go into cryo, but they had to get out of here. Frowning Riddick let Jack push her way onto his lap. Holding onto her he fished the remote out from under his leg and turned on the TV lowering the volume and switching to the news. By now there was a full segment about Johns and Imam and their story. He rolled his eyes at Johns who was obviously trying to make himself seem heroic before looking down at Jack. Sometimes he had to wonder if thirteen year olds were supposed to be so small, yet leggy at the same time.

Jack closed her eyes, feeling Riddick's bare chest under her cheek. He was still warm. She blinked her eyes open when he kissed the top of her head, and suddenly she really remembered some of what they talked about last night. Groaning Jack asked, "Did I really ask you those stupid questions?"

"Yes I'm really more than twice your age and no I don't give a fuck," Riddick feigned not knowing which questions she was talking about. Really she could have meant almost anything they talked about but knowing Jack he knew which one she meant.

"You know exactly which question I'm talking about Riddick," Jack huffed looking up at him.

"It's true," Riddick told her watching her seriously. "You will feel good Jack." It was not some huge taboo secret that eventually the kid would have sex and that she'd enjoy it. She probably felt that way, like it was something she shouldn't talk about, but there was no reason for her to be embarrassed. There was definitely no reason for her to be ashamed to talk about it like he suspected she was.

Jack moved to get off Riddick's lap but was stopped by Riddick holding her more firmly against him. When she struggled he gripped her leg with one hand, just under where the pajama shorts stopped. The shirt she wore now was tighter than the normal shirts she wore, but she was supposed to sleep in them instead of Riddick's shirts when his were too dirty for him to hand it over when they went to sleep. "I don't want to talk about this," Jack hissed at him.

Watching her he was mildly tempted to prove himself right and simply make her feel good, but instead he just pulled her back against him and told her, "Relax, you'll make your headache worse." If she struggled and yelled for him to stop he would, and it would only cement in her mind that she'd never like being touched. Reluctantly she relaxed back against him her breathing a little fast from the outburst and no doubt the pain added on. In turn he relaxed his grip, both of his arms loosely wrapped around her torso. It bothered him, made his animal prowl around in his mind that the kid didn't believe him. Forcing himself to relax back against the couch he watched the top of her head as she leaned into him.

The news story changed, and there was talk of a gruesome murder, though some details were thoughtfully left out. Being reminded didn't calm him and he growled, "You think I'm going to hurt you."

Jack tensed, forcefully told herself not to cry and shook her head saying, "Not like that…" Jack knew what was on the TV, and really she desperately wanted to listen to Johns more. She missed him, like part of her pack was gone, and with Riddick acting like this she missed the slight buffer he gave. She never wanted Riddick to leave her, she never wanted someone to keep him from her, but hiding behind Johns had buffered out more than one problem…

Riddick logically knew his problem. He'd been doing this domestic thing for too long, and while the taste he'd gotten last night had been fun, it'd also been tampered with. Tampered with by Jack leaving the safe place he left her. Now she thought he was going to tear into her, the only difference being that Jack would never tell him no because they were too closely bonded, because Jack knew she was his. He had thought they'd been going in a good direction, she had wanted to kiss him, and she had admitted to not being afraid to feel good anymore.

He didn't understand until she clued him in, jarring him right out of his thoughts…

"You're way bigger than he was…"

_That's what this is about…_ Riddick groaned, and succeeded in not laughing only because the kid was (as foreign as it was to him) emotionally jerking him around in too many directions. "There's a difference Jack…" Riddick explained into her hair. "One, you were younger, probably even fucking tinier than you are now," He paused as he lifted his head capturing her chin to make her look at him as he continued, "Two, I swear to fuck that if I have to remind you again that people normally like sex I will show you just how _normal_ of a time we can have together," letting go of her chin he finally added, "and Three, there's significantly less lube during rape."

When Jack looked down she could feel and hear Riddick sigh. Frowning she leaned back into him, not saying anything when he fiercely held her to him. "Can we stop talking about it?" Jack asked quietly, meekly.

"Yeah," Riddick breathed, before turning on the couch and lying down with her. He let her squirm around so she was lying on her stomach on top of him. Soon they'd get off this dump, far away from what happened and he could have a steady job that could keep his animal in check. Soon he could start feeling like himself and melding Jack into his world, she'd grow up and they'd learn each other more and more.

ooo

_Two years and nine months later:_

Riddick shot up from his spot on the couch shiv in hand only to stop when he found the source of the noise that woke him. Narrowing his silver eyes on the teen coming through the door he threw the knife, watching her whole body tense before she finished shutting and locking the door. "I fucking told you to stay inside tonight Jack," Riddick growled as Jack jerked the shiv out of the doorjamb.

Turning around with shiv in hand Jack walked over to the small table in what was supposed to be the dining room, but was really just the wall next to the kitchen. She dropped the offending object on the table before glaring back at the man on the couch as she growled, "It was my god damn birthday Riddick. You've been gone for _four days_. You promised you'd be back at least before midnight, but you weren't here." With that she turned back around, presenting Riddick with her back as she shrugged off her jacket.

Riddick was up and across the room before Jack could finish the action of getting her leather jacket. Catching her arms and pulling them sharply behind her back he let the jacket fall to the floor, even as he calmly leaned down a bit and rested his chin on her shoulder. Listening to her gasp to try and pull herself under control even as he threatened with a tug to put her into major pain, Riddick only spoke when she quieted down telling her, "Now Pup are you trying to get in trouble?"

"Don't call me that." Jack snapped at him, only to whimper in pain when he pulled on her arms.

"Pup? Baby? Kid?" Riddick purposely mumbled each name she seemed to have a sore spot about, before letting go of her arms, instead wrapping his arms around her. "You're only sixteen, you trying to grow up on me?"

"Only sixteen…" Jack mocked, before she tried to pull away growling, "Right now I'm only sixteen, but then something will happen and it'll be _"Jack you're sixteen, you need to grow up"_ and then when I try and grow up I'll be only sixteen again!"

Riddick frowned against her neck before he let her go and walked back over to the couch flopping down. He watched as Jack put her jacket over the back of a chair before she turned and looked at him. He'd fucked up missing her birthday again, he knew she cared about that kind of thing, but if they wanted to live and eat he needed to make sure his hits actually kicked it, and did so in a way that the clients at least approved of. If they wanted off this rock, he had to make good money, and sometimes good money took time. His contingency money was for emergencies, and getting out of here wasn't an emergency. Jack had to grow up around this, train, learn. Watching her looking at him he could see the changes in her. Jack's curves filled out and she'd gotten a little taller, finally reaching just above his chin. Her clothes had changed with her body too. Her cargos hung off her hips, lower on one side than the other. She just wore a tank top now, having abandoned her baggy clothes sometime when he wasn't looking. The only thing she seemed to hang onto was her short shaggy haircut, though she kept it long enough to tie back from time to time.

"Are you just going to look at me Riddick?" Jack asked exasperatedly after they'd stood off for more than a couple of minutes. Riddick looked much like he always looked. There was blood spotting his grey cargo's and probably his tank though it didn't show.

"Just waiting for you to ask for your presents," Riddick said pointing towards the bedroom. That was something that hadn't changed, they still shared a bed. Unfortunately he was pretty sure that she still didn't sleep well without him.

Jack forced herself not to get excited, and narrowed her eyes at him insisting, "You can't just bribe me with presents."

"Come on Pup I've missed you," Riddick breathed as he stood back up. "You know I break in between jobs, I'll make this up to you."

Frowning Jack looked around unsure of what she should do as Riddick walked towards her. When he pulled her up against him in a hug she didn't resist, just let him pick her up. "You are a manipulative bastard I hope you know," Jack insisted into his shoulder. It wasn't fair that he knew she liked being carried, that she liked being close to him, but she didn't have it in her to try and push him away just right now even if he was doing this to make her forget about being angry.

"I know," Riddick shrugged as he walked through the perpetually dim apartment and into their bedroom, "but you're the one who stayed, aren't you?"

"I'm not Imam, I know what they do to girls like me," Jack muttered as she pressed her face to his neck, taking a deep breath, clinging to him. She might have been angry at him but he was still Riddick, being angry at him wasn't a particularly new development in their relationship. Really… she just wished they'd stop going backwards…

"Alright Pup," Riddick said when Jack started to nuzzle him, patting her hip. He was trying his best to be good with her, but Jack didn't always make it easy on him.

Unhooking her legs from around him Riddick put her down but when she went to turn around he put his hands over her eyes saying, "Happy Birthday Jack." After he kissed her cheek he removed his hands revealing his present for her. On the bed sat a set of ten throwing knives, two wood boxes of five, all stainless steel with black cord around the hilts. Next to them was a pair of leather, fingerless, gauntlets. If that wasn't all awesome enough, Riddick had also bought her something she didn't need. Moving closer to the bed Jack picked up a necklace, standing at the end of the metal chain was a howling wolf, and she couldn't help but smile.

Turning back around Jack grinned at him widely before launching herself at him. Kissing the side of his mouth she thanked him as he picked her up spinning her around in a circle, which never failed to make her smile. "Okay you made up for being late."

"Mmhmm," Riddick grinned at her, kissing her forehead, "Now where did you wander off to while you were gone."

"Victoria's…" Jack mumbled as Riddick set her down. "I thought maybe you'd gotten distracted… but when you weren't there Victoria let me have a couple glasses of wine with the girls who were in-between their Johns."

"She didn't give you a free ride with one of her man whores did she?" Riddick growled watching her closely.

"She offered but… I didn't want to…" Jack said as she busied herself with slipping the necklace over her head. "You're going to show me how to use the knives right?"

"Of course I am," Riddick said as he pushed his fingers through her hair while she looked down at the necklace she was holding out a little so she could see it. He really should have known but Victoria was always offering the whores to Jack. Really he knew that Victoria was doing it, in some weird way, for Jack. Victoria always insisted that it was something about her taking control, but Jack hadn't exactly grown any fonder of the idea of sex… Though the amount of time she spent in the shower suggested she figured out she could feel good… "Why not?" Riddick couldn't help but ask in the end.

"Weren't you just angry that I might have?" Jack asked looking up at him like he was crazy.

"Not at you," Riddick sighed as he brushed his thumb over her cheek.

"I didn't want any of them," Jack muttered pulling away from him. She wanted Riddick, but he seemed to be pulling further away from her, and she knew that he didn't visit Victoria's Brothel for good conversation. "Besides you'd try to maim them," Jack added, trying to be joking, but when she looked at Riddick he didn't look all that amused. "What?"

Frowning Riddick shook his head they'd been on Beaulieu all this time. He and Jack had done fine in the beginning, but when he started taking jobs that took him away for days at a time, sometimes more than a week, things got strained. He'd come back and she would want to be close, unless he came back way later than he promised, or he missed something important, then it seemed to spark fights between them. Of course there were other reasons things were becoming strained…

"Why can't I have a normal birthday?" Jack asked as she closed the boxes of her new knives, and put the gauntlets on top of them. Walking over she put them on the bedside table before looking to Riddick who shrugged at her. Only that just angered her more than it made her sad, growling Jack resisted the urge to throw things at Riddick, to walk over and hit him. "What happened to us?"

"What are you talking about Jack?" Riddick asked waiting for her to come after him.

"We use to be so fucking close! Now we hardly ever see each other, I never sleep, I'm still fucked up, and you just keep on acting like nothing has changed even though you know it has!" Jack yelled forcing herself to be still. "I want us back Riddick! You use to teach me all the time! You use to come home more…"

"Jack, you said sleeping without me was getting easier," Riddick growled, stepping closer.

"Stop trying to distract me Riddick! You only touch me when there's some kind of special occasion or if we're sleeping!" Jack yelled finally grabbing her pillow and throwing it at him. It didn't help that she knew this was all her fault even though Riddick never said it was. "You take so many long jobs it's like you're trying to stay away from me!"

"I'm taking the longer jobs because they pay more Jack," Riddick insisted, having merely batted away the pillow. That wasn't all of the reason and they both new it, but if she was going to pretend not to remember then he'd follow her lead. "You told me you could sleep without me; I thought you'd be fine." When Jack chucked the other pillow at him he grabbed it and threw it back at her. "What the fuck Jack, tell me what you really want!"

Catching the pillow and holding it to her she shouted, "I want you!"

Before Jack could do anything Riddick rushed her, putting her up against the wall tearing the pillow away from her. "Do you honestly want to try this again Jack?" Riddick asked looking down at her. "I might not stop this time. I'll hold up my end if you really want this, and I'll stop trying."

"Maybe you should…" Jack muttered defiantly.

"Maybe I should," Riddick growled back a taunting edge on his tone. "You want to know why I work so much Jack?" When she wouldn't answer him he pressed his lips to her temple telling her point blank, "It's so I don't bend you over every surface in the apartment and…" He paused when she tried to shove him away, and leaned back just enough to catch her eye to make sure she understood, of course she did. When she looked away from him suddenly Riddick insisted, "I work because I don't want Victoria's whores anymore. My animal needs something to do Jack, or it's going to start doing you."

"I shouldn't have gotten scared…" Jack mumbled closing her eyes.

"You were fourteen you should have been fucking scared," Riddick swore slamming his open palm against the wall next to Jack's head. "That's why we had to knock out all that touching Jack, you know that. I told you it would get worse and worse. It _is_ getting worse and worse Jack."

"Then stop trying Riddick…" Jack whimpered, trying to slide down the wall.

Letting go of her abruptly Riddick let her slide down the wall, landing with a soft thump. "Don't move," Riddick demanded as he turned around and walked over to the closet to root around, grabbing some clothes. After, he turned to catch Jack nodding in defeat, before he headed into the bathroom shutting the door behind him.

Jack listened to the water run as she stayed right where she'd been on the floor. Her fingers found the small metal wolf tracing the little lines in the body, the legs, and the head trying to distract herself, and trying to figure out what to do with herself. She didn't know what to do though, and just pulled her legs up to her chest just waiting for Riddick to come out of the shower. In the end she just remembered a conversation that she had earlier with Victoria and the girls…

_"If you're scared, I could show you a few tricks," Victoria insisted as she sat next to Jack at the table, pouring them both another glass of deep red wine, "Of course you could always ask Riddick if you could be on top that way you could start out at your speed."_

_"Riddick has never let any of us be on top from what I can tell," Sophie insisted as she sat down on Jack's other side with a glass, reaching across to get herself some wine as well. "I mean I know it hit's a sore spot when you're reminded that he does us, but at least we can tell you that he might not be gentle but he's not violent, I'm sure you'll enjoy it with him. Besides he hasn't been around for that in months."_

_"He's been working a lot," Jack muttered into her wine bitterly as she looked at Sophie out of the corner of her eye. The blonde woman next to her wore only a short frilly skirt and a bra, that wasn't all that unusual. Jack had gotten used to it over the years, ever since she and Riddick had to crash here when they first landed._

_"You could always start with touching; maybe for you Riddick would go slow," Coralline suggested as she sat across from the others reaching for the wine bottle to fill up her own cup._

_"Coralline is right, masturbating each other might be a good place to start," Victoria nodded in agreement pointing at the brunette across the table before looking to Jack who suddenly had more color to her cheeks. "Aww it's so adorable that you still blush about these things, if you're too embarrassed to ask him I could bring it up to him the next time he stops by."_

_"Please don't!" Jack yelped grabbing onto the woman's shoulder looking at her pleadingly. Victoria was the only one who wore actual clothes besides the bouncers, and that was only because she was in charge, and at the moment she was in a red evening gown, it'd taken almost all this time to stop being afraid of touching her. When Jack first met her she'd constantly been afraid of getting the woman dirty no matter how often Riddick reminded her that in all likelihood Victoria would be more likely to be covered in something that shouldn't be anywhere near his pup._

_"Okay, okay I won't, but you really need to start having sex with that man, he says your name more often than he doesn't say anything," Victoria laughed as the other two girls giggled behind their glasses._

Maybe she should just ask…

What was the worst that could happen? This was the man who gave her a hickie at the age of thirteen!

…. Her mind started to spin out to what if's, but Riddick was never big on long showers and the water cut off before she could think of anything too bad.

Moments after the water turned off Riddick walked out of the bathroom in only some cargos, his goggles around his neck. Jack watched him carefully, but he just walked over and sat down in front of her. He was barely dry, water still clung to him here and there, Jack's fingers itched to touch him but in the end she just lowered her head down to her knees. Riddick reached out brushing his fingers through her hair, and frowning Jack almost forced herself to ask, "What would you do if I asked you to touch me?"

"I am touching you Jack," Riddick breathed letting his hand rest on the back of her head as he moved a little closer his legs on either side of her.

"Not what I meant…" Jack breathed looking up at him, her face flushed.

_She wants it._

Riddick pushed the thought away and admitted, "Probably more than just _touch_ you."

_We all want it Riddick, we'll take damn good care of her._

Now was not the time to be crazy. Riddick watched as Jack processed what he told her, she nodded and he took a hold of her legs slowly, and bought her closer to him. "You want me to Pup?" Riddick asked as Jack turned around, fitting herself so she was sitting between his legs, her back to his chest.

"Are you still angry?" Jack asked as Riddick firmly wrapped his arms around her.

"No, I'm not angry," Riddick sighed against her hair, holding her against him. He could practically feel her mind turning over her options, when he could smell her arousal he opened his eyes seeing her legs press together. His eyes darkened but he didn't move, wouldn't move until she said something.

"Riddick…" Jack breathed, turning her head to look up at him. She didn't know how to really ask for that, and it was now that she wished that Victoria would actually tell Riddick something. The way that he was looking at her made her shiver, made her squirm wanting him to just _know_ what she wanted. He didn't give her much room but he let her move around so she was standing on her knees in front of him, hesitantly pressing a kiss to the side of his mouth. "Please? I don't want to go backwards anymore…"

"Alright," Riddick rumbled holding her hips, "I'll make you feel good Pup."


	9. Moving Forward

Jack moaned as Riddick let out a frustrated growl and started pushing her pants and underwear down, getting them most of the way down her legs. Shimmying and pushing Jack got them the rest of the way off before Riddick pulled her shirt up and got her bra off. Then he licked and nipped at her neck as one hand rushed back between her legs making her gasp and shiver, while the other hand reached across her massaging her breast.

Riddick growled against her neck, pushing one finger into Jack, and then after pumping into her a couple times he pressed another into her. He wanted to use more than his fingers but he kept himself (barely) in check when Jack rolled her hips against his hand, as if she were trying to get use to the intrusion. She was tight around his fingers, but after a moment she bucked her hips, like she was trying to stop him from moving in her. By the look on her face he knew it wasn't because of any pain, that she was practically shoving herself against his hand. Riddick gave a toothy grin against her bared neck as his other hand moved down to help his other, rubbing at that sensitive bundle of nerves. "I got you Jack," Riddick told her, his voice low and husky when she keened trying to press back against him even more, her head ducking down against her shoulder.

"R-Riddick…" Jack panted, trying not to whimper. It felt so good, way too good, like if it felt any better it would have to hurt. This was so infinitely different than touching herself. Her hips moved without her permission and Riddick wouldn't let up. She almost wanted to tell him to stop but another part of herself viciously held her voice captive. She could never keep going, and get herself over that edge.

"Come on baby girl, I got you," Riddick encouraged, before moaning into her hair as she rubbed back against his growing erection. "Yer mine you know," Riddick groaned against her temple as he kept working her with his hands, "Still mine, and I want you to cum for me."

Jack moaned, her hands gripping Riddick's pant legs. Jack pushed against his hands, her legs opening more, her breath coming faster, and Jack couldn't even say anything. Riddick was licking, and sucking, and biting at her neck. Jack couldn't help the short pleased sounds that left her lips, her hands leaving his legs to reach up and behind her to wrap around him. Then after a few more moments that drove her wild and goaded her into whimpering, "Please, please, Riddick please…" warmth rushed over her, and her whole body seemed to tingle. It was amazing, and Riddick kept pumping his fingers in and out of her for a few moments until she started to catch her breath her arms falling back down to her sides. After, he just held her tightly nuzzling her neck, which tickled and sort of hurt at the same time.

"There's my Jack," Riddick hummed when Jack reached up to grip his arms. She was all flushed, warm, and completely relaxed. He'd probably never seen Jack look more beautiful.

"You too?" Jack asked as she leaned heavily back against him. All the while she had to wonder when she lost her clothes though she could remember helping get them off.

Riddick stopped as he looked at Jack's hard profile. That would really be the end of him trying, and they both had to know it. "I'd be giving you my notice," Riddick explained as he brushed his fingers over the hickie right on the spot that connected her neck to her shoulder. He wouldn't hurt her, at least not really, but if Jack wasn't ready it wouldn't really matter if he didn't mean to hurt her.

"I understand," Jack breathed, turning her head to look and see his reaction. She knew he didn't mean for her to just jerk him off, or even give him head but she didn't care. She wanted to. She wanted to be with Riddick. She didn't want to be afraid.

Turning her around, getting her to stand on her knees in front of him Riddick pulled her in for a kiss, his tongue swiping across her bottom lip. As she opened her mouth a bit and participated, Riddick picked her up by her thighs, sitting with her on the bed. Jack smiled against his lips as her fingers traced down his chest, but he stopped her before she could get to his pants moving them swiftly around so he was over her. He nipped and licked his way down her body starting right under the wolf pendent between her breasts.

ooo

Feeling relaxed for the first time in what felt like forever Riddick kissed along Jack's spine as he held her hips in place for a moment longer. Now more than ever he could see she was all soft skin, and legs, and slight curves. His animal was sated but he still felt a bit wild as he watched Jack gasp and try to calm under him, while he was still inside her. He felt like a predator that had cornered his prey, but in taking a liking to the poor animal wanted to play chase some more. Rubbing soothing circles on one of her hips (which he had the distinct feeling would be bruised come morning… later in the morning) Riddick wondered if they could do that again, only Jack was shaking her head against the bed. "No, what Pup?" Riddick asked his voice practically a purr.

"Stop thinking about doing it again," Jack said, breathing heavily as she stiffly, and awkwardly, let go of the sheets under her hands. She could just tell that's what he was thinking, she could feel it. Her eyes were heavy with satisfaction and pleasure, but she didn't think she could do that again… She was tired too, hadn't slept more than a couple hours since he'd left. All of the girls had made it sound like sex was always wam-bam-thank you ma'am. Orgasm and done, but Riddick had the stamina of the energizer bunny and that fucker had been around since Earth! Every time she thought they were done, Riddick kept going.

Giving a toothy grin Riddick relented and pulled out of her slowly, with a soft groan from each of them. His silver eyes glinted as she lowered herself carefully down onto the mattress so her hips weren't up in the air. Once she was settled he kissed her shoulder, rubbing her back a bit to calm her more. When he heard a soft contented sigh he pressed his forehead to the spot he kissed before flopping over onto his back beside her.

Shuffling a little Jack turned onto her side feeling slightly awkward as that put her legs back together completely. Not letting it stop her though, she still practically burrowed against Riddick. Smiling against his skin she murmured, "You were right…"

His ego inflated at that, having a feeling he knew exactly what she meant, and he put his arm around her saying, "So you did feel good."

"A lot," Jack agreed with a slight chuckle, she was almost sure Riddick's chest literally puffed up. He'd been right, he made her feel good. He made her gasp and moan, and he overwhelmed her in the best possible way. It was then, unbidden, that her brain turned to something else, and when Riddick lifted his head to look at her she hid her face against him asking, "Riddick, can I ask you something?"

"Sure Jack, what do you want to know?" Riddick asked back as he brushed his fingers up and down her arm. Even when he wasn't paying for it he didn't usually have questions afterward. It was Jack though, so he'd indulge her in whatever she wanted now.

"Not right now, but… can I be on top… once… or twice?" Jack asked quietly almost hoping that he wouldn't hear her. Internally she damned Victoria for putting these ideas in her head.

Riddick smirked a bit as he looked up at the ceiling, asking, "You wanna be in charge or you just looking for a different angle?"

"Either… both… maybe…" Jack answered, unsure of herself. She didn't know what she'd do with all of Riddick if she was taking the lead. That, and Jack doubted she could make Riddick do anything, even if he really wanted some and she was holding out, and she doubted being patronized would be sexy at all.

Chuckling Riddick nodded his head, "Sure Pup, whichever you want."

Jack went to say something but it was about that time that the phone rang somewhere in the living room. Frowning she reluctantly let Riddick pull away from her and get up. She watched him grab his pants from the floor before pulling them on, and walking into the living room. Sighing Jack crawled from the bed, gingerly walking over to the closet before pulling on one of Riddick's shirts despite the horrible sticky feeling on her thighs. Ignoring it though she walked over to the door of the bedroom to see what was going on.

It wasn't odd to see Victoria on the screen, but it was odd to see them so unhappy at the same time. Frowning Jack carefully walked a little closer, though she didn't enter the range of the camera. Riddick glanced at her and that's when Victoria spoke again, "Alright the program you gave me says it's clear…"

"Now what's going on Victoria?" Riddick asked as he sat down on the couch.

"Someone's been asking for you. Not Dante, Milo, or The Hound, they've been looking for Richard B. Riddick," Victoria insisted, making it very clear that they were not looking for the hitman, but for the bounty head.

"They there right now?" Riddick asked his eyes straying back to Jack who sat on the floor, looking between him and the screen warily.

"No, Gypsy dropped by, said they'd been in The Joint. Nicholas made a joke of it just now while we were seeing about trading some girls," Victoria explained. "I hadn't thought anything of Gypsy telling me someone had been talking about "Riddick" because you're the biggest merc debate out there, but when Nicholas started talking about these men who were in his brothel asking about "Riddick" I knew they were really on your trail."

"I'll look into it Victoria," Riddick sighed when Jack stood back up and started to slink back into their room. "Call if you can get a description, or more info." Once he got a swift nod from the woman he ended the call, and followed after Jack who was now sitting in the middle of their bed watching him. Instantly he couldn't help but notice she had his goggles around her neck.

"The sun is about to come up… you're not leaving are you?" Jack asked glaring at him. If he thought she was going to hand over his goggles so he could leave her, he had another thing coming.

"No, we're going to bed Jack," Riddick told her as he used a simple palm-pad to shut the lights in the house off. The only light now coming from the pad itself which Jack told him meant she could barely see inside the room.

"Good," Jack insisted holding her arms out for him. He just came back, and no one was going to find them right now, or they probably would have made themselves known while they'd been doing it. That was her kind of luck. Jack knew it was selfish but she wanted him to stay with her. She didn't want to be alone; she didn't want him to leave after everything that happened. Jack wanted to be able to sleep…

Moving over to the bed Riddick crawled on and right into Jack's waiting arms, getting them to lie down. Maybe, if he just laid low like he'd originally planned these people would move on, they weren't the only ones to pass through claiming to be looking for him. He was like a myth; he'd supposedly been seen all over the verse, though the world at large considered him dead. Some searching around told him he was no longer at the top of most wanted lists, only the merc guilds left his bounty and picture up but that was almost always somewhere in the "probably dead" sections of their lists. Maybe this was just another one of those things.

"You going to be here when I wake up?" Jack asked into his chest as Riddick held her to him.

"Yeah, I'll be here when you wake up kid," Riddick told her as he pressed his face to her hair. This is not the exact turn he thought everything would take when he finally had Jack. He didn't figure that life would start to screw them immediately after, but then when else would it happen? "We'll wait until it gets dark again, then we'll both go hunting baby." That seemed to make Jack content, because she settled into him with a couple of yawning breaths. Usually he wasn't the one to start talking after they settled down but he had to ask, "Jack, Pup, can you really not sleep without me?"

"Not a lot…" Jack mumbled, her eyes fluttering back open. "I sleep in the afternoon without you, nap really… sometimes it's alright and I dream about you or little things, but other times…"

Jack trailed off and Riddick knew that she still woke up screaming sometimes. He'd come in one late afternoon to her sleeping on the couch, until she jolted awake with a yell, a shiv clutched in her hand. Nuzzling her Riddick held Jack, letting the conversation fade out to hopefully get her to fall asleep. In the end it didn't take very long for Jack to doze off, and Riddick looked her over. His eyes were heavy with sleep already but he couldn't help but frown at his shirt on her. Normally he loved it. Her wearing his shirt to bed made him calm and settled, and she smelt like him even more. Only now she wasn't naked. That bothered him. Bothered his animal…

His hand slid up her side almost without him knowing, the shirt sliding up, but when it pulled out from under her hip she whimpered and pushed closer to him. With a sigh he rubbed her side to calm herself back down. He'd let her keep the shirt tonight if only to make sure she kept sleeping, but his hand stayed under her shirt as he rested his hand and arm along her back.

ooo

"You took a shower last night…" Jack whined as Riddick lathered up the little ball of soft mesh Jack used to wash herself. When they woke up and Jack insisted on showering, Riddick had insisted on joining her. Honestly she didn't mind this so much, just she didn't think it would be productive as an actual shower.

"I'm aware," Riddick grunted, unconcerned. He didn't know why she was nervous but he figured it had something to do with them doing it again. Jack had insisted before this that it was too soon or daylight, or something he didn't know which she'd wanted to stick way she didn't flinch when he touched her, so it didn't much bother him.

It had hurt her at first, but after she was into it. She was sore, he could see it in how she moved, but she wasn't hurt. As he noticed these little things and remembered what they'd done he couldn't help but smile some. There was also the rather vicious looking mark on her neck, the bruises on her hips. Those he wasn't exactly proud of, but it showed she was taken. Starting at her chest he lathered her up.

Jack had seen the state of her body, but all it did was make her shake her head. She'd gotten a good look at Riddick too. She'd bit him. He actually had a bite mark on his shoulder that she felt horrible about. There was what looked like claw marks on one side of his back coming down to his side, and there was an honest to goodness hickie on the side opposite of the bite mark. With him pressed up against her back his hands reaching around to wash her Jack could see where she'd dug her nails into his wrist when they changed position. "We always going to be so… violent?" Jack asked after a second turning around to look up at him.

"Does it bother you?" Riddick asked as he washed her back, looking down at her. He could tell she was confused, and he was trying to coax her thoughts out of her.

"Not really, it's just… we can't always come out looking like this, can we?" Jack wasn't sure about what she was saying. She just didn't know if this was normal, to look like they came out of a rough sparring match when they had actually just had sex.

"Does it bother you?" Riddick asked again, keeping his voice soft as he crouched down to wash her legs. Looking up at her he could remember doing this when they were on Hermes, and that it wasn't all that long ago. She was sixteen, just. Maybe it should have bothered her, but Jack wasn't exactly a normal kid. A normal kid probably wouldn't have enjoyed how rough he'd been with Jack.

"No, but…" Jack stopped when Riddick glared at her.

Frowning Riddick mellowed out his expression, and tucked away his animal's frustration. "But what?" Riddick asked as he took care of one leg starting right at her hip and working down. Kid still had legs for miles…

"It's just… is… is that what it's supposed to be like?" Jack asked frowning a bit as Riddick started on her other leg. "I liked it… but…"

"But nothing," Riddick told her, kissing her stomach before finishing up, "We're our own kind of animal Jack; if you liked it then you liked it. Nothing wrong with that."

"Are you saying that because you _really_ liked it, or are you saying that because there's really nothing wrong with it?" Jack raised her brow at him as she asked this. Riddick didn't just have silver eyes, his tongue seemed to be coated in it too, and he could make you believe a blue pen was black if he put his mind to it. That meant that at times Jack tended to try and make sure she hadn't asked a question _wrong_.

"Both." Riddick grinned as he stood up and moved them under the spray more. "Just because I don't mark up the whores doesn't mean I'm being violent with you, means I'm holding back with them. That and they don't incite the same kind of reaction out of me that you do."

"I'm going to look battered." Jack insisted even as Riddick lifted her up into his arms.

Riddick opened his mouth to say something but stopped before even a syllable left his lips. The words _you look well loved to me_ had almost spilled right out of his mouth and that felt inherently foreign to him. "We had a lot pent up in us," Riddick told her as he pressed his forehead to hers, holding her to him. He couldn't get enough of the feel of her skin, the way she tried to press closer when he ran his fingers along the bottom of her thigh, or down her back. "You'll be fine Jack," Riddick hummed as he let the water run over them a little more.

"What are we going to do about the people looking for you?" Jack asked into Riddick's neck as she just rested there enjoying his warmth and the water running down her back.

"We're gonna go to The Joint, have a couple drinks, and see what's going on," Riddick explained hefting her up higher so he could kiss her shoulder. "But that's later."


	10. Shaken Up

"What?" Riddick growled as he glared at Victoria's image though she seemed to grow increasingly happy about Jack's placement. Jack was currently under him trying to hide her face with her arms, but as he'd been in the middle of kissing her when he answered the call it was hard to mistake what they'd just been doing, instead of going out to find the people after him. That and since the video cam took in the whole couch Victoria could probably tell that while fully clothed he was pressed as tightly as he could be between Jack's legs.

"You two did it didn't you?" Victoria questioned as she leaned closer to her screen a mischievous smile on her lips.

"I would like to be _doing it_ now, but I doubt Jack would want you to watch," Riddick insisted as he reluctantly moved back so he was merely kneeling between Jack's legs looking at the screen. He doubted Jack had any real intention of moving or he probably would have laid on her to keep her still, because unless this was important he intended on getting right back to _kissing_ Jack.

"Pity, I'm sure Jack has a lovely orgasm voice," Victoria sighed, though she couldn't help but smile after that. Especially since Riddick took to smiling rather viciously, like he knew something she didn't. "Either way those men who are looking for you, well they're here. They are here, right now, in the throes of passion behind doors that do not lock, for _safety_ purposes."

That even got Jack's attention; she shot up looking at Riddick to see what he was going to do. She knew what she would do, she knew what Riddick would do, but she didn't know if Riddick would make her stay or if he'd let her go. Riddick looked back at her before pressing his hand to her cheek and running it up into her hair as he thought. His mind seemed to settle on something though, and he told her, "Victoria keep them there we'll be right there."

And then he cut the connection while Jack looked at him with hopeful eyes. She didn't want to stay behind, but she didn't get the chance to question him because his lips crashed into hers. When Riddick pulled back he insisted to her, "You will stay at the bottom of the stairs with Victoria if any of them get downstairs you kill them, you do not let them get outside." He must have noticed her start to protest because he pushed his forehead to hers growling, "Do you understand me Pup?"

Growling back Jack looked away saying, "Fine I'll wait at the stairs but if she starts asking me details I will not be responsible for my actions."

Kissing her forehead Riddick shrugged, "If you go up those stairs we'll use one of the rooms appropriately." When Jack narrowed her eyes at him he drove the threat (though it was more of a promise really) home, telling her, "They don't lock, and I doubt Victoria would pass up the opportunity to embarrass you by watching." When she went to open her mouth he growled, "I will keep going until we're _both_ finished."

"I get it…" Jack huffed pushing him away, "Let's get going."

ooo

_"That's one of them!"_

_Jack didn't hesitate, she shot him, first in the gut then in the chest sending him sprawling down the stairs. Victoria and one of the girls pulled him out of the way in case Riddick had to make a quick exit just like they were told. There were more of them than she and Riddick had expected, instead of three or four there were closer to fifteen. Victoria said they'd all recently went AWOL off of some big merc ship. Not all of them had been looking for Riddick, but now they all had to go._

_By the sounds of it upstairs Riddick was dispatching them one way or another…_

"I got you Pup," Riddick growled against her temple as Jack started to slide in and out of the nightmare/memory.

_When two people came crashing down the stairs in a fight, Jack hesitated. She should have known better though…_

_She knew that now even though she couldn't make herself pull the trigger in this horrible stuttering dream._

_Neither of them had been Riddick. She shouldn't have let it matter that she wasn't sure if they needed to be taken down, because before Victoria could warn her pain shattered through her shoulder. It was weird though, she was conscious of the fact that Victoria screamed and not her._

_There was all this pain but Victoria was the one screaming, and she just kept on at it as Jack laid on the floor trying to figure out what was wrong with this situation._

"You owe me Jack," Riddick's voice was so dark, she must have fucked up bad if he was reminding her that she was his. "More than ever, you are mine."

_When Jack found hands on her body she fought instinctually. She tried to find a nose to break, eyes to take out, or a throat to strangle. Anything as long as it got the hands off her. Still, everything was muddled and fuzzy, and she didn't know if she was accomplishing anything, especially since searing pain was all she was aware of in one of her shoulders. She doubted that arm was moving at all._

_Then the same pain in her shoulder tore through her leg, and vile breath told her something that she couldn't really hear this time, but she understood the intent and it made her cry out. Yelling for Riddick Jack couldn't even tell where the hands were anymore she was in so much pain, and she was so scared. She just wanted Riddick back, she didn't want to be here…_

"Riddick, she'll be alright, let her laydown."

"Fuck you," Riddick seethed somewhere above her as she forced herself awake, and managed to stay out of the nightmare/memory this time.

"That's why you have Jack." Victoria insisted her voice chiming in that singsong way that Jack usually thought was funny, if for no other reason than it seemed to piss of Riddick ten times more than when she did it to him. Right now, it wasn't so funny though.

"You should have told me there were so many of them before I brought her," Riddick growled wanting nothing more than to rip out Victoria's throat for this. "Now there's a merc out there who knows I'm alive, and he knows about Jack."

Whimpering Jack tried to move, tried to nuzzle closer to Riddick, but he only hushed her darkly, kissing her forehead. She tried to talk to him but she couldn't get out the words. They were all jumbled in her mind, and she couldn't pick where to start and for some reason she couldn't even start to stammer out what she really wanted to say. Jack tried harder to talk then. She wanted to know what happened, and she ignored Riddick as he tried to get her to calm down, but in the end her whimpering came with tears as much as she hated it and she pressed her face to his chest the best she could; only she just ended up with her cheek pressed to him.

"Jack, sweetie," Victoria hummed to her, "It's alright, Riddick stopped that horrible man, nothing happened."

Riddick growled shifting them around and when Jack opened her eyes and really looked around she realized Riddick was moving her away from where Victoria was sitting in front of them on the bed. Her whole body felt heavy, it didn't hurt but she could tell where it was supposed to hurt. She tried to move her legs, but only one of them moved the way it was supposed to. Riddick was holding her one arm stopping her from doing anything with it when he noticed she was trying to move. Jack looked up at him, silently trying to ask him if Victoria was lying and he touched her cheek telling her, "You're alright Pup, I stopped him before he did anything."

Frowning Jack leaned into him more heavily, not saying anything as she looked down at her lap only to find that she was only wearing underwear and her necklace, not even a bra. There was a bloody bandage around her thigh not far below the bruises on her hips as well.

When Jack started to push at him wanting to know where her clothes were Riddick held her tighter to him, telling her to calm down, "You're clothes were torn and bloody we had to get them off to clean you up." That and he rather she be naked then look like a victim. He kissed her forehead, and leaned down over her more to coax a kiss out of her. She tilted her head accommodatingly, but he could feel her lower lip quivering in what had to be distress. When she settled and buried herself against him more, turning the best she could so her upper half was facing him, trying to hide, Riddick glared at Victoria. He'd almost been too late to stop that guy from raping Jack, and she didn't need to know where that bastard's hands had been. "We're going to stay here for the rest of the night kiddo, then we'll go home. Victoria is going to get you something to wear in the morning."

"Riddick she was shot, twice, you can stay longer…" Victoria insisted lightly as she watched the two.

"I just dug two bullets out of my Pup, you're going to go get a quick fix from the drugstore, and then you're going to leave us alone," Riddick demanded leaving no room for argument his voice harsh just barely restrained from a roar. Holding Jack was the only thing stopping him from hurting the woman physically, since he'd called her everything he could think of while he was digging those bullets out of Jack and bandaging her up. Riddick probably called her out on ever sordid thing he knew she did and a few he suspected her of, so he knew he'd probably already hit a nerve or two, and made her feel guilty as hell at the same time.

"I'll go get some synthetic skin… the expensive one that speeds healing," Victoria insisted as she stood from where she was perched on the bed. When Riddick nodded she walked from the room, shutting the door behind her. She knew Riddick wasn't happy with her, and it was made worse because Jack was injured and almost violated. Hopefully this would give him time to calm down, instead of getting angrier. Riddick wasn't ever nice most of the time, but he wasn't often cruel to her, not like he had been tonight while she was trying to help…

When Victoria was gone Riddick looked down to find Jack looking up at him tiredly. "Can you feel anything?" Riddick asked feeling tired himself, the adrenaline seeping out of him a bit.

Jack shook her head her fingers tenderly touching the bruises peeking out below her underwear from when she and Riddick had sex.

After sitting there a second Riddick frowned, before holding her tighter demanding as gently as he could, "Say something Pup." She hadn't talked. She'd made some noise but she hadn't said anything. Things Jack didn't say out loud tended weigh much heavier on her then what she'd tell him, or even yell at him.

Jack opened and closed her mouth a couple of times before frowning and looking up at him saying, "I'm alright." She would be at least, Jack knew that well enough.

"Fucking better be," Riddick growled against her hair before he let up and looked at her shoulder noticing blood drip down passed the gauze. Kissing her temple he used both of his hands to put pressure on either side of her shoulder over and behind the wound not far from that little love bite he'd given her. She wasn't getting anymore alarmingly pale then she already was after getting the bullets out, but her blood seemed to be flowing a little more freely then he'd like. Resting his head on hers Riddick let his eyes wonder around the room. It was nothing special as far as brothel rooms went. Big bed, red walls, impersonal junk littered about to make it look lived it to some degree. As irrational as it was he didn't like Jack in here even if it was a vacant room.

"Riddick…?" Jack asked carefully, and when she got an acknowledging hum she went on, "Does this mean we have to leave Beaulieu?"

"Yeah, only one got away, but as soon as you're okay I'll set it up for us to ditch this place," Riddick told her letting up on her shoulder gradually so he could carefully hold her to him while they waited for Victoria to come back.

ooo

The synthetic skin was almost the right skin tone, but Riddick could make out the circles where they'd applied it even with his limited range of color. The genetically altered… whatever they were, that was speeding up her healing were doing their job it seemed, she didn't look as pale, of course the juice and sandwich probably had a hand in helping with that too. Jack, after pretty much pulling his tank top from his body was covered, mostly, it seemed to like to slip off her shoulders, but she finally asleep. It was fitful though, which is why he was awake in the first place. If nightmares hit and she thrashed too much the fake skin might separate over the wound, inviting infection – keeping them there longer.

When her eyes flicked opened, her heartbeat jacked, Riddick firmly but gently put his hand on her chest, hoping to stop her from trying to sit up again. This time she stayed where he wanted her, though he could feel her straining against his hand.

"Riddick… I'm so tired…" Jack breathed, unwillingly relaxing under Riddick's hand, as she stared at the ceiling. She hated nightmares, and how they tended to blend together with every other nightmare she'd ever had. "I can't sleep like this…" She felt awkward sleeping on her back, awkward that Riddick wasn't practically laying on her. She couldn't feel like this and sleep.

"You gotta rest, kid." Riddick hummed as he laid down more, pushing the pillow more under his head so she could use his arm as a pillow instead. His hand moved from her just under her neck to her stomach. He knew she wanted to feel more secure, because while Jack would run around and be a crazy child, at night she couldn't sleep unless they were tangled together. Jack admitted that she liked sleeping practically under him, and that she liked it more than when she slept on top. It was his fault, he knew it, kept her glued to him when they first started.

"I can't…" Jack started, but stopped when Riddick glared at her. After a moment Jack whimpered, "I don't like sleeping on my back like this…"

"The only one getting at this flesh," Riddick flexed his hand against her belly, "is me, so sleep Pup."

Jack still felt vulnerable, but she closed her eyes to try and listen to Riddick. She couldn't get back to sleep though, and she sighed in frustration. "Can't we try something else?" Jack asked opening her eyes again to find him watching her, a slight frown touching his lips. The kind that said he didn't like something she was doing, and less the one he'd been wearing because she'd been shot.

Riddick frowned before sitting up, carefully taking his hand from behind her head. "Alright, let's try something else," Riddick breathed as he carefully moved some pillows around, and then moved them so he was half lying, with Jack in front of him lying back against him. "Better?" Riddick asked as he put his arms around her. When she nodded he kissed the top of her head before relaxing with her, only to lift his head when he felt her fingers on his wrist.

"I'm sorry…" Jack mumbled as she looked at the crescents she left in his skin.

"You've been shot Jack, couple of scratches are no big thing," Riddick snorted laying his head back against the pillows again. He had to wonder about the side effects of the pain meds he'd given her.

"I was scared…" Jack breathed pressing back against him more.

"You were?" Riddick asked rubbing her stomach a bit to keep her calm. He'd known she'd been scared by the way she'd clawed him, and the way she told him not to let go, but it was his way to get her to talk to him. After all they couldn't do anything together right now, and hopefully if she cleared her mind she'd go back to sleep. Jack needed to talk sometimes before she could sleep. Kid still kept too much in, away from him.

"I.. yeah I just… I don't know… I was just worried it'd be different…" Jack muttered. Most of the time she'd overheard women talking about sex, or even talked to other girls about it, they all seemed to like sex from behind less. They seemed to complain about how it wasn't romantic. She liked it more though, so what if Riddick wasn't looking her in the eye? He didn't suddenly like her less from a different angle. "I liked it though," Jack insisted, more sure of herself.

Riddick grinned against her hair, his hands playing with the hem of his tank top on her. "You didn't want me to let go," Riddick hummed his hands playing under the shirt a bit.

"I wanted to you stay close…" Jack said even as she squirmed because of how lightly he was touching her. "I wanted to feel… safe…" Jack trailed off feeling suddenly awkward again. She didn't know why safe didn't come out she thought that was right.

Riddick's ears practically perked up at that. She had wanted to feel something, but he wasn't so sure she had just wanted to feel safe. "Safe?" Riddick coaxed.

"You…" Jack breathed, "I guess I just wanted to feel you."

"I got you baby," Riddick rumbled with a toothy grin as he stilled his hands leaving them against her skin. "Now, go to sleep Pup."

Jack nodded a bit, relaxing again.

ooo

Opening her eyes Jack frowned as she found Riddick moving around behind her. Squirming she tried to turn, her hands pushing at his thighs on either side of her but a growl stopped her. Tensing Jack waited for what was going to happen next, but Riddick just kept her sitting up his hand against her lower back as he took deep breaths. It didn't take long before Jack figured it out. This was not the first time Riddick woke up with morning wood, actually the first time he had around her was the first time she was given evidence that it was an actual thing. At the time she'd probably been way to curious, and she'd probably tested Riddick's restraint down to his last straw. "Do you want me to move?" Jack asked carefully ignoring her inner self's idea to tease him. She shouldn't do that. He'd get angry.

Riddick watched her closely, reminded himself viciously that she'd just been shot twice and that he couldn't have her. They finally did it but he couldn't have her again, not until later. "Yeah move up more I'll deal with this," Riddick grumbled. You share a bed with someone and sometimes you're bound to run into these type of things. They never made a big deal about this, he made sure of it after that first time, before because he didn't want to freak her out, now because he didn't want to start anything.

Frowning Jack glared over her shoulder at him, suddenly remembering where they were. Before Riddick could decipher the look though she did something she still wasn't sure about. She moved around onto her knees, but instead of moving away she lowered her shoulders, wiggling her hips slightly. "I rather deal with it," Jack growled.

Riddick understood then. She thought he'd go find a quick romp with one of the whores. His animal understood that he just got an invite.

_She's got a nice little animal lurking in her._

_She's hurt._ Riddick tried to reason with himself halfheartedly, knowing that if anything he should be smacking her ass… until his animal just turned that into a dirty thought too.

_She's just as horny as us._

There was barely a pause. Riddick moved up onto his knees behind her pressing up against her. His hands gripped her hips before sliding up her sides to where his shirt slid up to before going back down to her hips, sliding her underwear down in the same motion so they landed around her knees. Only when she went to help get them off Riddick pressed back up against her letting her feel him through his pants.

"Jealous little thing," Riddick cooed as he rubbed her back, "And I was just going to go rub one out."

Jack gasped, blushing furiously as Riddick grinded against her as well. When he leaned over her more one of his hands moving to cup her sex, the worst possible thing happened… she moaned and Victoria opened the door without so much as a courtesy knock.

Riddick's eyes flashed as he growled, dangerously low, "Get out." Jack sunk under him with a whimper and he let her, using the hand he had intended to tease her with to press against her lower back in a protective gesture.

"I just… there's something… you shouldn't… I need to see you downstairs," Victoria said, at first distracted before becoming very sure of herself, narrowing her eyes at the beast before her. When nothing was said she turned on her heal leaving the room, and purposely not shutting the door.

Growling Riddick kissed Jack's shoulder before reluctantly pulling away from her. "Stay here, I'm going to see what Victoria wants and get you some clothes," Riddick grumbled as he watched Jack pull her underwear back into place even though she looked about as frustrated as he felt. When she nodded to him he left shutting the door firmly behind him. He only stopped to avoid running into Sophie who had a small bundle of clothes with her.

"Oh hey Riddick, Victoria told me to give Ja..ck… do you need help with that?" Sophie asked as her eyes drifted down the front of the man in front of her.

"No," Riddick growled pushing around the blonde to get downstairs. He found Victoria in the kitchen with a cup of coffee set out for each of them. Ignoring the cup Riddick sat down asking, "What the hell do you want?"

"Riddick do you really think that right now was the best time to fool around with Jack?" Victoria asked as she watched Riddick closely. "She was almost raped."

"What would you have me do? She's the one who bent over and shook her hips at me," Riddick said glaring at the woman who stopped him taking that invitation. "If she hadn't I wouldn't have touched her like that."

"If she said no would you stop?" Victoria asked a sad frown taking her red painted lips.

Riddick frowned back at her saying, "It would depend."

"On?!" Victoria looked slightly horrified as she yelped her question.

"If she meant it," Riddick told her.

"You know the difference?" Victoria asked raising a brow at him.

"I've stopped before Victoria," Riddick snapped. "Don't you think if I wanted to _rape_ Jack I would've done it already? I told the kid she was mine, that I was the only one who'd ever have her. I stopped when she got scared when she was younger though, now what the fuck did you bring me down here for?"

"I… I sent one of the girls over to your apartment to make sure it was safe, and she brought back the boxes for Jack's knives, but the man… the one that got away, she saw him going down the steps past her." Victoria explained as she pulled the two boxes containing Jack's new throwing knives. "I checked it over, they seem fine, there's no electronic devices inside the boxes at all… but I wouldn't suggest going back to your apartment." When Riddick stood abruptly from his seat Victoria frowned saying, "I'm sorry Riddick, but Jack was shot and almost raped. I know that she wasn't awake when that man started to rip her clothes, but I still didn't think she'd want to go at it that fast."

That made Riddick stop and think. He didn't think about it like that. It wasn't like he knew what a girl should act like after that… except that he did. Jack had been scared as hell of feeling good when they got off the planet and that had been lingering from before the she'd even gotten on the ship. Then again the kid had definitely felt guilty about feeling good when Cross had started touching her before she wanted him to stop. This time she'd just been in pain, probably didn't even know what was really happening to her, Jack had never been shot before… "I'll worried about Jack's wants and needs, you learn to fucking knock." He'd keep an eye on Jack, but he didn't want to make a big deal out of something that she might not even have on her mind.

"What are you going to do about your apartment?" Victoria asked as she pushed the wooden boxes towards Riddick to take.

"I'll figure it out, as soon as I do me and Jack'll split." Riddick said picking up the boxes before heading back upstairs to Jack.


	11. Needs

When Riddick got back upstairs he found the clothes that had been for Jack sitting in front of the door, and no Sophie. He didn't understand, she'd been right at the door when he came out. At least he didn't understand until he picked up the clothes from the floor and heard a distinct gasp and then a more muffled sound. He hadn't thought about it, he'd been ignoring that he'd been ready to go. Fuck he was still ready to go and now it wasn't going anywhere. There had been a possibility he could try and wait it out, maybe take a shower and take care of it but… that wasn't what he really wanted to do. Pushing his hand down the front of his pants like it'd make it go down for a moment Riddick listened closer, but Jack was muffling her sounds somehow.

Slowly, and carefully opening the door, unable to resist the urge, Riddick looked in not making any sudden moves, finding Jack lost in whatever fantasy was running through that pretty little head. Now that the door was open he could hear the moans and panting whimpers she was trying to hide in the pillow she had hugged to her face. She looked much like she'd probably looked under him, her hips up and pushing back. Only she was using one hand on herself and the other held the pillow under her.

Walking all the way in Riddick quietly shut the door, but he still got caught when the door clicked, so he put the boxes of her knives on the ground with her temporary clothes. She looked so beautiful like this, her eyes wide, seemingly stuck on him, her face flush. Jack was embarrassed, he could tell it in the way her hips lowered a bit, and her hand tried to move away from where it'd been between her legs without being noticeable. When she tried to move further, though, he growled, "No, stay there."

Jack whimpered at him, completely mortified, and wanting nothing more than to have gotten under the covers and not have her underwear on the floor next to the bed. She watched as he walked over and sat on the side of the bed next to her, and went to sit up only for Riddick to put his hand on her shoulder, stopping her. "This is embarrassing, Riddick…" Jack whined at him, only for Riddick to slide his hand over her ass and down her leg, his fingers getting teasingly close to her center.

Shifting her hips Jack tried to tempt him again, even more frustrated than when he'd left. She'd tried to see if she could make herself come, hoping to relieve the tension in her before Riddick came back. Not only did he come back faster than she thought, but she couldn't seem to get off. She had just started to feel more and more frustrated.

Riddick grinned at her and Jack whimpered her distress at the situation at hand, but after a second Riddick looked a little more serious as he told her, "I want you to touch yourself." He'd wait for relief to see her cum all on her own, with only any encouragement she might need because of having an audience.

"What?!" Jack nearly yelped as she tried to move, but Riddick just grabbed her arm getting her to move off the bed to stand in front of him.

"I want you to touch yourself Jack," Riddick insisted lightly as he pulled his tank off her. "You've obviously done it before Pup, I want to see you do it." When she seemed reluctant he moved onto the bed sitting so he had his back against the headboard saying encouragingly, "Come on Jack." He wanted to see her do this. He wanted to see her let go.

Looking around Jack crawled onto the bed, even if she wanted nothing more than to just pull on Riddick's tank again, and hide. "Uh where?" When she saw him smirk she blushed correcting herself, "Where on the bed!"

Sobering a little Riddick shrugged before saying, "Anywhere you want Pup." He hadn't known exactly what to expect when he told her what he wanted. She seemed unsure, and hesitant, but she wasn't denying him. He didn't know if he should be concerned, but he was already turned on, now it just ached.

Jack frowned, sitting on her knees before looking down at the bed, saying as she crossed her arms over her chest, "Can I sit against the headboard?"

Riddick nodded and stood letting her sit where he'd been, watching her push the pillows behind her as she reclined back a bit, before he sat in front of her. She was obviously shy about it but when he made an encouraging noise she opened her legs a little and watching him she slid her index finger between her folds, only she froze up shaking her head almost immediately, her hands fisting in the sheets on either side of her as she closed her legs and lowered them so they were flat against the bed instead of bent at the knee.

Jack couldn't do it. She just couldn't. If she did, Riddick would end up seeing her frustration when she couldn't finish, her having to calm down. Riddick frowned lightly and moved closer to her, pulling her to him with his hand on her ankle. "I can't do this," Jack breathed as she pulled her ankle from his grasp and crawled into his arms her legs on either side of his even if that made her feel vulnerable. "I can't ever… not by myself."

"What do you mean Jack?" Riddick asked holding her tight against him pushing her down against his length without consciously meaning to.

"It's just that I can't… only you've ever…" Jack trailed off, and when she looked up to find Riddick about to say something she rocked against him, hoping to stall him. It worked for a moment, and pressing down more rolling her hips distracted him even more, until he growled catching her at her game. When he bucked up against her she gasped her forehead falling against his shoulder as he gripped her hips, bucking again.

"Now that I have your attention little girl, talk to me like an adult," Riddick growled against her ear. He needed Jack to talk to him. He could handle it if something was wrong, but he needed to know she wasn't okay first. Jack needed to tell him if she was okay or not. "What's the matter; I've seen all of you. You embarrassed, or is it something more?"

"I can't get off by myself… I tense up and it's just so frustrating…" Jack breathed her voice shaky. "It feels good, I just can't… and then it gets to the point that I have to stop because I just can't keep going. It doesn't feel the same when I do it."

"You were just trying when I came in," Riddick said moving his hands to cup her face. He didn't fully understand what she was telling him.

Looking off to the side Jack mumbled, "I… something in me… it pulls me towards you, it tells me what to do when I'm not sure, I thought it could tip me closer while I kept thinking of you… I just wanted to; I needed to feel good for a bit."

And just like that he couldn't stand it anymore. He only asked one thing, "You wanna be on top this time Pup?"

"No…" Jack breathed before letting Riddick help her up from his lap. He turned her back around so she was on her knees and forearms just like before. As he leaned over her Riddick fit his chest against her back, feeling how much smaller she was then him. Jack whimpered as he pressed her back against his covered bulge.

_She can't let go without you._

His animal sounded prideful, but he ignored it as he leaned back away from Jack just enough to balance and get his pants down. He let his fingers find her opening growling in satisfaction to find she was already wet and ready from her activities. He teased her sliding his middle finger around the entrance but refusing to push inside.

_That part she talked about, it's her animal._

Riddick pushed away his beast again as Jack made these needy little noises he could live off of, rocking her hips the best she could.

_Let me out to play, maybe I can play with her animal._

Riddick pushed one finger in and out of her then another for a moment, before pulling away when her mewls turned more urgent. He didn't know what did it, pulled his animal back up like this, but it was probably because she'd been hurt. His beast had been prowling closer and closer before, but this must have done it.

"Riddick please…" Jack whined as her upper body dropped lower her cheek to the mattress, her hands over her head.

_Let me love our Pup._

His animal pushed closer and Riddick let him for now, letting them mesh a bit. Rubbing her side with one hand Riddick balanced with the other against the bed. Unfortunately Riddick wasn't prepared to have his vocal cords stolen. His animal had little use for talking, unless it was for mind fucking, but he couldn't pull the words back. It was nothing more than cruelty hidden under gentle touches and he didn't want to hurt her, but the words just tumbled forth from that part of him. "Do you need me to make you feel good so you can forget? So you can let go, and be safe?" She whimpered her and her hips tried to drop but he hooked his arm around her too quick pushing his cock between her legs against her belly instead of inside her. "You might want to be safe but you need to be dominated. Hmm? Need me to be in control because if I can't control you I don't deserve you do I? You're prey Pup, prey that somehow lures in predators, but not to destroy you, but other predators. Biggest bad is the only one who gets to lay claim hmm?"

Jack shuddered.

This wasn't Riddick. Riddick wouldn't say this to her now.

"Answer me baby girl, my little girl," Riddick growled against her temple, only it wasn't Riddick it was his animal. "Do you want me to be in control, and make you feel good?"

Jack kept her head covered protectively, too scared to move away. When his growl turned fiercer Jack's own animal helped her force out, "I want you. I want you to keep proving you can protect me! I want you to show me why you're in control! That I'm yours. I need you." Her instincts wanted to give him what he wanted, but her instincts had always told her to head towards her best choice of life. Now it wanted relief. Wanted him as much as she needed him.

"Greedy kid," He chuckled before he moved his hips back, "Needy kid. Need me to hold on so you can let go," then he positioned himself at her entrance adding, "It's alright though, 'cause you're all mine Jack. I'll give you everything you need."

Jack gasped as he pushed into her so hard and so deep it hurt and felt good at the same time. Her hands came from her head to grip the blankets as he set a hard and fast pace, one arm holding her, fitting snuggly against the underside of her breasts, his chest back up against her back, his weight on his forearm above her head. He was rough and he didn't let up even when she sucked in a pained breath when he bit hard into her shoulder close to her neck. Her hips pushed back against him trying to keep him in her, trying to stop some sensation but with a little adjusting Riddick pulled them up so they were on their hands and knees. A moan she hadn't been expecting tore from her when he suckled on her neck then. She moved her head to the side so he could get at her neck better, submitted more letting him have complete control.

When she did his animal pulled back on his pace. He lengthened his strokes reveling in how she mewled, more pleasured. When he released her nape, licking at the lightly bleeding wound she kept her neck bared, panting in-between more needy noises. Satisfied with her submission he let her back down to the bed which she clung to as if she'd fly apart if she didn't.

She needed him. Cruel or not. Riddick was always rough, hadn't been all that gentle the first time, he'd just been more patient, slower. Now she was almost completely overwhelmed, her hips pitching against his with none of the rhythm he seemed to have. She just wanted to feel more, wanted to feel more of Riddick, or in this case the dark thing that called out to her own smaller animal; that thing inside her that only wanted to submit to the animal above her.

"Mine." Riddick insisted his voice gravel rough, while his hand moved down to press slow and sweet against her clit a stark difference from the short, deep, thrusts he was giving her once she showed that she couldn't move with him. "Your mine. I want to see you come undone Pup."

Jack pressed back up against him, needing more. Riddick kissed her shoulder blade, growled a little. He thrusted harder, pushing himself closer to coming with her, unable to hold back any longer. His hand worked faster, and she even moved faster against him. Both of them building each other up, trying to get the other over the edge. Riddick growled, answering Jack pleading moans and pants. Then suddenly Riddick pulled her against him more, and he whispered against her ear, "I want to hear my name Jack."

"R-Riddick!" Jack yelled as heat rushed over her, making her screw her eyes shut as Riddick moved against her.

He practically roared her name as his release hit him like a sledgehammer. He didn't want to move from her even as he caught his breath, holding her hips tightly to his. Churning his hips against hers Riddick let out a content sigh before placing kisses all over her back. His animal felt sated, got what it had wanted, Jack's submission. When she finally settled, her breathing only a little heavy, Riddick kissed her shoulder once more before pulling out of her and laying down next to her on his side. Watching her Riddick brushed his fingers through her hair, waiting for her to say or do something.

Jack moved closer to him turning onto her side kissing his chest. "Riddick?" Jack asked a slight whine to her tone.

"Yeah baby?" Riddick asked back as he put his arms around her pulling her snugly to him.

"That wasn't you…" Jack breathed wrapping her leg around him.

"My animal likes you too Pup," Riddick insisted shifting her higher up on the bed to put his forehead to hers for a moment before claiming her lips.

ooo

"This is why you can't fuck the wounded Riddick," Victoria insisted she glowered down at the man holding a very naked Jack to him. "Now she's exhausted and you still want to be out of here within the hour to find some good passenger ships, or someone looking to sell something."

"She'll be fine," Riddick insisted as Jack slept in his lap. "I'll get her dressed, we'll get out to the docks and she can sleep on the ship."

"Will she be?" Victoria asked her glower turning to a deep frown as she noticed that below what could have been an over enthusiastically given hickey from their first time was what was an honest to goodness bite mark on Jack's neck.

Riddick put his hand over Jack's neck and tried to keep his animal in check. In the end he growled, "Jack's mine."

Victoria had seen this before. Could see it better now that he seemed to be dragon hording its gold. Riddick's animal was very close to the surface and out to play. He'd come in here before when she knew him without Jack more feral then any man should be. "You let that thing in you have Jack? She's _sixteen_. She's in love with you Riddick and you let it have her." Victoria just barely managed to keep her voice down.

"She's not one of your whores Victoria, you can't dictate how I fuck Jack," Riddick insisted glaring at the madam. "Jack's mine, and she needed me. I take care of her, he takes care of her."

"Do you even care that Jack loves you?" Victoria asked as she stepped back from the bed more noticing Jack stirring.

"She's mine." Riddick practically snarled, "She's all mine, and she belongs to all of me. We know how we feel." It was all over their bodies.

"Yours…" Jack mumbled tiredly as she pushed her face to Riddick's chest.

Victoria smiled sadly, still unsure of how this was going to work for them. She had to imagine that Riddick was going too fast after everything. She'd been so happy to see them together. Then things started to go downhill but Riddick was still relentless. "Don't be one of those men who just tells their girls _you know_ when she asks if she loves you. If Jack ever asks you better tell her you do or you don't."

"Get out Victoria," Riddick growled as Jack hugged herself to him.

ooo

Jack leaned into Riddick as they walked through the docks looking for a decent star jumper taking on passengers, she was still tired and really wanted nothing more than to go back to sleep. There wasn't a lot of good pickings though. They'd eyeballed the manifest hoping to get a ship out to somewhere they could buy a better ship than one they'd find on Beaulieu. It wasn't going their way, though. She could tell that Riddick was getting frustrated, and when they abruptly turned around Jack took notice.

"What's wrong?" Jack asked quietly as Riddick got her to move a little faster, putting strain on her leg.

"We need to get out of here." Riddick growled as he kissed her temple.


End file.
